From the category archives:

Creativity & Ideas

Generating creative story ideas

November 3, 2009

At one time or another, every writer searches her heart and mind for a great story idea and comes up short. The muse is silent. The motivation is gone. The driving force that compels her to write just isn't there.
At this point, the writer has two options. One: wallow in self-pity, bemoan the situation and [...]

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How to Create Realistic Characters With Depth

May 5, 2009

Clustering is a simple brainstorming method you can use in a variety of ways. Its biggest benefit is that it helps you push past your analytical mind and reach into your subconscious mind for ideas that resonate on a deeper level. A single clustering session can produce dozens of great ideas.
In The New Diary, where [...]

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Six Techniques to Help Writers Overcome Procrastination

April 2, 2009

I've come to the conclusion I truly deserve to be crowned Queen of Procrastination. Procrastination is a big kingdom — especially with so many writers taking up residence there so often — so Queen of Procrastination is a title one would expect me to be proud of, yet somehow I don't feel quite as proud [...]

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Writer's Block Cure #1

August 11, 2008

In my last entry, I described my personal experience with writer's block. I had an abundance of story ideas but I froze every time I faced a blank page. I couldn't even start writing, let alone complete a chapter or a whole novel or screenplay.
There are two types of writer's block. Writers who experience the [...]

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Kiss Writer's Block Goodbye

August 5, 2008

For the past year, I've suffered from a form of writer's block that is completely new to me. Actually, any form of writer's block is new to me because I've never had writer's block before. I've always had more ideas than I'll ever have time to write about, and I've always been able to sit [...]

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