by Zoe M. McCarthy | Apr 16, 2015 | Writing
“The glory of the protagonist is always paid for by a lot of secondary characters.” —Tony Hoagland Most fiction writers have heard that the purpose of secondary characters is to support a main character. One of their jobs is to help flesh out a main character’s...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Mar 26, 2015 | Writing
Don’t you like characters in novels to come across so real you look them up in an online directory? My guest today, Marian P. Merritt, gives pointers to do just that. After you’ve collected her tips, be sure to learn more about her new novel, The...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Aug 21, 2014 | Writing
“My theory is that every little bit has the potential to help. We just have to learn where to focus our limited time and energy, because obviously we can’t do it all.” —Jody Hedlund Image courtesy of debspoons at FreeDigitalPhotos.net I’m up against developing and...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Feb 13, 2014 | Writing
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” —Plato Why should I care about what you have to say? Sounds rude, doesn’t it? But that’s what many people in your audience think when they approach your work. So, how much time do you spend on the opening of your...