Tag Archives: #writingtips

Let It Suck Series: revisiting “Write Better With Character Profiles”

As part of the “Let It Suck” series of posts, I wanted to discuss how knowledge of your characters informs writing decisions, and this post seems crucial to include, so I am reprinting it as a companion to this week’s … Continue reading

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Let it suck series: Setting up setting

Elmore Leonard famously advised writers to “try to avoid the parts that readers skip”. This is a definite risk when it comes to describing where your characters are, so listen to the master when dealing with setting. I tend to … Continue reading

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Let It Suck Series: overwrite the scene, then pick up the scalpel

As we move beyond the blank screen and into our efforts as writers, we need to deal with scene work. The conventional wisdom is “enter the scene as late as possible and leave as soon as you can”, and I … Continue reading

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Let it suck revisited: the beginning of a series

Awhile back, I wrote the following blog, which basically advised people to push beyond fears about instant quality in writing and just “let it suck.“ I reprint it here as the beginning of a series of blog posts that focus on … Continue reading

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Creativity Worth Talking About

For those of you who have enjoyed my blog posts about writing and creativity, this new show may be perfect for you: https://youtu.be/HyNRNm6fx3s    </ Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and in print. For more info, click here.<

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The Power of “What If”?

Writing is an optimistic enterprise. Even the most cynical writer, the one who believes everyone is corrupt and the world is doomed, if that person still writes, s/he proves hope is alive. If that person truly believes nothing matters, why … Continue reading

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Schooling Myself: Podcasts as Independent Study

I have been getting progressively more serious about independent publishing as a career. I was a journalist a lifetime ago, then a teacher (still am) who wrote on the side (some comics, screenplays, short stories), and now that is flipping. … Continue reading

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10 Steps for Organically Inserting a Character

I am heavily into production mode these days, rewriting no less than four new projects – CITY OF PAIN, the apparently long-awaited sequel to CITY OF SIN and CITY OF WOE, two YA novels, GENIUS HIGH and PERFECT, and a … Continue reading

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Life Slam Dances With Itself: Ten Ways to Find The Time

From December 23 until January 4, I was on vacation, which translated to “free to write at all times during the day and night” and/or read about writing, listen to podcasts about writing, hang out with The Wife, watch The … Continue reading

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Respecting People is Key to Creating Worthwhile Characters

Many authors will say that among their best writing experiences are the times when characters seem to take over and write themselves. Some consider this channeling, that is, serving a muse or some higher authority’s desire for expression. Maybe so, … Continue reading

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