Adding layers of meaning for readers behind the dialogue (between the lines) adds some rich texture, conflict, authenticity, and understanding to story. Subtext is the silent conversation that happens while another topic is being discussed. Subtext can use euphemisms and other diversionary tactics to have a private or intimate conversation…
Tag: writing
5 Ways Time Affects How We Write Emotions In Fiction
Time heals all wounds so the saying goes. Can’t say whether that’s a universal truth or not, but the passage of time does affect how we think about, talk about, and express past emotions. When learning to write in deep point of view, one of the first foundational tools for…
5 Tips On Writing A Trauma Backstory
Life is hard and as writers, we aren’t doing our jobs unless our characters struggle. Am I right? Good fiction isn’t borne out in the comfortable and easy living we might dream about, but in the tension and conflict between characters and/or their own desires. Giving a character a backstory…
8 Ways To Balance A Writing Career While Making Family A Priority
I have been a stay-at-home mom off and on for eighteen years. For the last twelve years, I’ve also been a writer. I went from knowing nothing to having my own freelance business and being a national award-winning freelance journalist and author. One thing I had to learn was how…
Creating Strong Female Characters Your Readers Will Cheer For
How dynamic and authentic are the female characters in your fiction? How do you know whether they’re strong? Do they have what Chuck Wendig calls “agency” which is the power to influence the story? There are plenty of women in classical literature who were strong, but sometimes it’s hard to…
The Power of Touch in Fiction
Interpersonal touch is a huge part of any society regardless of time or culture. A pat on the back, a heavy grip, a shoulder knock, we touch ourselves and other people all the time, and are programmed to interpret all of these subtle nuanced touches by filtering them through social…