story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jan 3, 2012, 6:09 pm
 designsponge.com  When I say that I'm a fan of books and movies, what I really mean to say is that I'm a fan of stories. I love stories. The whole world seems to be made up of them, they seem to be in the very air we breathe. But ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 30, 2011, 6:53 pm
Photography by Alex Mazurov In returning to my blog, after a six-month limbo, I'd like to introduce The Three Part Writing System, something I've been perfecting during hiatus. It is simply this. There are three parts to writing: Plot, Story, and Craft. What's the difference between...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jun 10, 2011, 9:56 pm
29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo. And if Vimeo hates you at the moment, you can always use this picture for reference, or print it out and add some lovely color to your wall. Much thanks to the creative efforts of Paulzii of Tumblr and TO-FU of Vimeo.
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - May 27, 2011, 10:51 pm
I have returned my fellow co-patriots! I'm so giddy with being back and all the writing I've been fiddling with that I'm about to burst with joy. Firstly, a big thanks to all you lovely people who didn't abandon me. :) Secondly, a promise to be much more steadfast in my posting. I've lea...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Feb 23, 2011, 5:18 pm
In my first year of college, my idea of a poem was a Mother Goose rhyme. In my second year of college, I studied abroad in Italy under the tutelage of modern (dead) poet Ezra Pound’s daughter. I grew so frustrated with Pound’s style that I could often be found talking into his huge volume of poe...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jan 15, 2011, 12:13 pm
Writing is an agonizing life. You love your family and your characters pretty much the same (although I don't stay awake at night thinking how best to torture my family). You pace in your bedroom/office, despairing over your sloppy writing and eating Lindor Truffles like popcorn. You can't ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Dec 18, 2010, 9:25 pm
So many great ideas strike you when you're just sitting and thinking. I was thinking, as I usually do, about writing. I've been struggling, unsure what to write, how to write it, and finding no enjoyment in bringing characters to life. Then I realized the answer to writing. Don't t...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Dec 3, 2010, 7:33 pm
I stumbled on something called Arithmacy (more commonly referred to as numerology) while reading The Sorcerer's Companion. Yes, I'm a major nerd. Anyway, according to this numerology, your name can reveal great secrets about you and your personality. naturally, being the writer I am, after fig...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 26, 2010, 4:12 pm
Photo by Tim SimmonsHappy Thanksgiving! Here's wishing my fellow Americans good food, good company, and a relaxing weekend. And the same goes for everyone else!
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 23, 2010, 8:24 pm
Photo by Rick Bowden I was skimming through Marc Shapiro's J. K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter when something caught my eye. Despite the pressure of being a single mother, working to stay alive, and all that "rubbish", she manage to find the time to write and completed The Sorcerer's Ston...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 20, 2010, 3:38 pm
No, I'm still here. I've just been insanely busy the past couple of weeks. New post coming soon. I promise.
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 9, 2010, 6:32 pm
Photo taken by Ville Miettinen Most of us want to write a novel. Some us may write fro kids while others target young adults. There's a big difference between an easy reader and a YA Fantasy; for one thing; size. For the most part, we want to end up with a book that's around 250 pages. Which i...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 5, 2010, 8:51 pm
Every character, minor or major, needs a motive. It’s the driving force behind everything they do. In other words, their reasons. That’s all good and fine, but what it really boils down to is that there are consequences to their actions. I cannot stress how important motive is. If t...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Nov 2, 2010, 10:51 pm
For those of you who don't know, November is National Writing Month. On the Nanowrimo website, participants are challenged to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. How about you guys? Is anyone out there doing Nanowrimo this year? What are you writing and how far are you? Feel free to ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 29, 2010, 7:20 pm
Photo by Nicolas Marino Tone is the overall mood of your story. Moods can change from scene to scene, but the tone lasts through the whole book. Take, for example, the insanely popular book Twilight. Even though there’s a spattering of action-packed scenes, the majority are romance. The tone...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 26, 2010, 9:26 pm
At one point or another, you have to explain some aspects of your book. Even if the character knows exactly what’s going on, the reader might not. Put simply, an infodump is a large chunk of necessary information that bores the reader to death. I don’t know about you, but when I come across bloc...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 22, 2010, 10:11 am
We’ve all read stories where clues were so seamlessly dropped in along the way that until the big secret was revealed, we never even realized they were there. But when we finally did, all the pieces of the story fell into place and we were awed by the skill in which that bread trail had been left....
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 19, 2010, 8:24 pm
Magic will make or break your book. There is no in-between. How you handle magic can mean the difference between an epic and just-another-fantasy-book. Know Your Limits Magic must have limits. Your characters can’t snap their fingers and have everything they want appear from thin air. The ot...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 18, 2010, 6:01 pm
Sorry for not posting Friday. It's been an incredibly hectic week with hardly enough time to sleep, let alone write or blog! Posting will resume tomorrow, as normal. Thanks, guys.
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 12, 2010, 8:02 pm
"Exit Scene" by spyroteknikThe winner of the "Exit Scene" writing contest is... #2 by Dawn Stone! Congratulations to and a big 'thank you' to the participants and voters! The brightness frightened him. James covered his eyes, protecting them from the radiating sunlight that peered throug...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 9, 2010, 1:31 am
Vote in the comments for your favorite submission. A huge thanks to everyone who participated! "Exit Scene" by Spyroteknik #1 Night-Walker While the rest of the earth sleeps, I am awake. I see things no one else can; beautiful things, wonderful things… but the vision comes at a price. ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 7, 2010, 9:31 pm
Tomorrow at 7:00 pm, the writing contest will end. This gives you 24 hours to send in your submission to writersnse@gmail.com or to post it as a comment. A huge thanks to everyone who's participated for their creative stories and enthusiasm. It's not too late! You can find the guid...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Oct 2, 2010, 1:01 am
"Exit Scene" by spyroteknick Here it is, the writing contest that so many of you voted "yes" for.Here's how it works: 1. Write what comes to your mind when you look at the above picture. It could be the beginning of a story, a description of the setting, anything. 2. A maximum of 500 words. You won'...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 28, 2010, 8:10 pm
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." ~W. Somerset Maugham By now, we’ve probably heard plenty of writing rules. Show don’t tell, start with action, the main character must develop, pace yourself, ect. And then, of course, there’...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 24, 2010, 10:15 pm
A conclusion is all commentary; no facts. You should have already made your point in your body paragraph. Unless the essay is really long, never use your conclusion to summarize. The conclusion is there to make your reader think. Clarify your theme, evaluate alternate ideas, or explain how the theme...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 21, 2010, 6:47 pm
A body paragraph needs three things; a topic sentence, facts/examples, and commentary. Topic Sentence The topic sentence always comes first and is always an opinion. My old LA teacher drilled this into my head; "Facts can't be supported. Facts are the supports." (Jean Valjean, desp...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 18, 2010, 6:45 pm
At one point or another, we’ve all had to write an essay. For most, they’re dull to write and even duller to read. Luckily, a formula exists that will produce a professional thesis. The intro must include five things; Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, and Subject. The order doesn’t m...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 18, 2010, 5:55 pm
I've put up a new poll on the sidebar. I'd be obliged if you'd answer it. Thanks!
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 14, 2010, 9:31 pm
You've all heard of Harry Potter. The world-wide phenomenon that sparked a generation of fanatics to whom everyone else is a "muggle." J.K. Rowling's personal story satisfies our hunger for real-world miracles; a poor, single mom scrawls the origins of a novel on a napkin, and becomes insanely...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 10, 2010, 9:29 pm
At one point or another, we've all wanted to write something epic. One that encompasses the struggle between light and darkness, tells of a hero who saves the world, and makes people read them over and over again. Luckily, there's a template for that. All epics (Lord of the Rings, The Odyssey,...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 7, 2010, 8:09 pm
To recap: archetypes are universal symbols used in literature, whether they were put there intentionally or no. Imagery both foreshadows and represents. Water: purification, boundaries (You'll notice that when water is murky or dark, it is the exact opposite of purification; it is evil...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Sep 4, 2010, 12:25 am
An archetype is a universal symbol. Whether on accident or on purpose, every story holds traces of archetypes. Colors are especially potent. They can represent emotion and ideas. Clear/Transparent: Open, nothing hidden, no secrets, no privacy, pure. (For example, Snow White's casket.) Pink: Spring, ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 31, 2010, 10:17 pm
Traitor : A person who betrays another, a cause, or any trust. (Webster’s College Dictionary) Betrayals are one of the most delightful plot twists. Not only does the traitor plunge everything into chaos, but can emotionally scar trusts and friendships. True or False The author knows th...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 28, 2010, 6:03 pm
This post is an expansion of tuesday's Tough Love section. This seems to be a major issue for people; what to do when you love part of your story but hate the rest.  One of my earliest stories suffered from this love/hate controversy. I loved the world I created and spent hours working out its mech...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 25, 2010, 1:09 am
Most of us (if not all) have had a rough draft that petered out and died. This is a separate form of writer's block. This is the Boring Book Syndrome. Symptoms include: We've gotten bored with it, We can't figure out what happens next, or We're so in love with the idea and cha...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 20, 2010, 9:26 pm
The term "short" is relative. Some short stories are 3 pages, others are 100. But no matter the length or genre, short stories share a few key elements. Step One: Problem Notice that the word 'problem' is singular. That's right; there's only one conflict. Define your problem. For those who wri...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 17, 2010, 9:34 pm
So if being sticky is so easy, how come people aren't just automatically programmed to think and act in those terms? What's in our way? The Brothers Heath refer to this obstruction as the Curse of Knowledge. An excerpt from the book: "In 1990, Elizabeth Newton earned a Ph.D. in psy...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 13, 2010, 5:26 pm
Finally, something both readers and writers understand; story. People have tried for years to classify stories by their plot. Aristotle claimed that there exist only four; simple tragic, simple fortunate, complex tragic, and complex fortunate. Christopher Booker insists there are seven (...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 10, 2010, 1:39 pm
We've found our core message, we've hooked the reader, dragged them in with a few concrete details, and kept the tone with credibility. Now one of the most important questions; How do we make them care? Why should the reader care about the main character? Sure they're going through diff...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 6, 2010, 4:42 pm
For a fiction writer, trying to make your book believable can sound stupid. Of course fantasy books aren’t credible. Who’s going to believe that there’s a magical school called Hogwarts, or that people fly on broomsticks, and people talk to snakes? Well, my sister did. When she was litt...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Aug 2, 2010, 7:25 pm
When I was first learning French, I would pore over my notes, struggling to hit it home that “chien” meant “dog” and “pomme” meant “apple.” But it never seemed to stick. It was hard to see one word as a literal translation of another. Then one day my teacher shows up lugging a bag ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 30, 2010, 11:19 pm
To make something unexpected you must break a pattern. Doing so captures the audience’s attention. “Once upon a time…” is so common that the sentence fails to surprise. In Patricia Kindl’s book Goose Chase she began with, “The King killed my canary today.” Already we have sever...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 26, 2010, 7:31 pm
Let's get this straight; "simple" does not mean "dumbing down". It means "core". For writers, who thrive on details, simple can seem like a misnomer. From what I can tell, the simple principle is very seldom used in the actual writing process. But it can help while planning and...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 23, 2010, 10:14 pm
Every author dreams of writing a book that sticks, one that the reader thinks about long after they've turned the last page. One that captures their attention and, more importantly, holds it. In Chip and Dan Heath's book Made to Stick, they broke down the elements of a sticky idea ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 19, 2010, 6:58 pm
When I start writing a novel, I get a picture in my head of the hefty two-hundred page book it will become. So I'm disappointed when the rough draft ends up around twenty pages. I add scenes just to lengthen it and bog it down with unnecessary sentences. Well, I think I've got the solu...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 17, 2010, 12:26 am
A topic I've always had a strong opinion about; posting your work online. I don't know about you, but every time I browse Yahoo! Answers there's some teenager asking for people to read their novel and "tell me what u think about it? LOL, I hope its not 2 much like twilight." ...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 12, 2010, 5:41 pm

Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jul 9, 2010, 10:30 am
I've heard some people say that graphic novels aren't real books. They're supposedly for "wimpy readers" and "are no better than picture books". Sure, it's faster to read a graphic novel. But does that make it any less of a story? What about The Arrival by Shaun Tan? It h...
Comment - Like

story weaver posted an article on Writer Sense - Jun 21, 2010, 7:24 pm
You may not be as important as you think. Throughout the ages, countries have had systems regarding who is more important than whom. Even in today's society, there are upper, middle, and lower classes. Creating such a system is essential when world-building. Top The top of the food chain ...
Comment - Like