I have another Tips & Tricks post that goes over compression—also known as the “Five Word Dialogue” rule. And the idea behind it is to take an emotional or heated conversation between characters and reduce their dialogue to five words or less, thus drawing focus to the real issues lying beneath the surface. By limiting…
In 2002, film critic Roger Ebert sat down with animation director Hayao Miyazaki to discuss the North American release of his film “Spirited Away.” When Ebert commented on the “gratuitous motion” of Miyazaki’s films—the moments when the characters would “do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time…
Every writer has a process. As we’ve mentioned before, some of us are pantsers, some of us are plotters, and many of us fall into a category in-between. Basically, there is no one “correct way” to create art. Part of the beauty of art is its subjectivity, and how artists reach the point of sharing…
For as often as I’ve heard it from peers, instructors, and fellow writers, I still to this day underestimate the power of “just writing.” Many writers out there will probably tell you at some point that this is, in fact, the number one rule: “Write every day.” Though, in the past I’ve argued that I…
A high fantasy story with a rich mythos, intriguing character dynamics, and vivid settings. A new favorite that has me greatly looking forward to the sequels!