Tag: writing

All Downhill From Here: Story Structure in Act 2, Part 2

~ Erin Fulmer ~ Leave a comment

This blog is late. It's late because I made the silly mistake of promising in my last post in this series that the next part would come "next week" i.e. the second half of November. Well, that didn't happen, for a variety of reasons including getting behind on NaNoWriMo, exciting new health issues, and getting … Continue reading All Downhill From Here: Story Structure in Act 2, Part 2

Stuck in the Middle With You: Story Structure in Act II

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There's no denying that storytelling can get messy in the middle. The middle of a novel may sag or slump, prone to descriptions like soggy, mushy, murky, or muddy. These damp and sticky terms reflect an experience familiar to many a writer. The often arduous process of drafting a story's second act may feel a … Continue reading Stuck in the Middle With You: Story Structure in Act II

Setting the Stage for Story: Structuring the First Act

~ Erin Fulmer ~ 1 Comment

All you need to write a story is a beginning, a middle, and an end. The three-act structure sounds simple enough. It’s a classic, literally, originating with the theories of Aristotle and still central to much of the structural writing advice that floats around today. But drilling down into exactly how each act should work—and … Continue reading Setting the Stage for Story: Structuring the First Act

Refilling the Wellspring: 7 Remedies for Creative Drain

~ Erin Fulmer ~ 1 Comment

Creativity is a renewable resource—but that doesn’t mean that it’s inexhaustible. Without sustainable use, the creative well tends to run dry, resulting in burnout or writer’s block. This post will address the need to maintain your creative reserves and suggest some ways to refill the well when you’re feeling drained, blocked, or out of ideas. … Continue reading Refilling the Wellspring: 7 Remedies for Creative Drain

Don’t Let Craft Advice Silence Your Authorial Voice

~ Erin Fulmer ~ 3 Comments

The internet is full of craft advice for writers. Some of it is even good advice. All of it purports to make your writing better, more readable, more relatable, more salable. I’m not talking about grammar advice, like how to punctuate dialogue. That’s a mechanical skill. It’s mostly objective, at least within its specific context … Continue reading Don’t Let Craft Advice Silence Your Authorial Voice

Interview: Lin Codega on Queer Pop Culture Journalism

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Welcome to the second edition of “How Tho,” my new blog interview series in which I pick the brains of fellow creatives and publishing pros on aspects of craft, community, and how they go about doing the amazing things they do. I love to get people talking about their unique paths and creative passions. To … Continue reading Interview: Lin Codega on Queer Pop Culture Journalism

Growth Is a Spiral: Repetition and Return in Practice

~ Erin Fulmer ~ 4 Comments

The more things stay the same, the more they change. What? No, I didn't accidentally write that backwards. Because the thing about growth, about learning, is that it doesn’t travel in a straight line. It often doesn’t feel like growth in the moment. It often feels circular, like repetition, like return. It can feel like … Continue reading Growth Is a Spiral: Repetition and Return in Practice