by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a convincing fight scene. Bodies crash to the floor.. chairs are upended… viewers are treated to closeups of terrified or furious faces… and the punches thrown are enough to make us wince and...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Viewpoint, Writing Fiction
Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be you. Now that shouldn’t be too hard – you’ve lived in your own skin for a long time. Do you feel happy or sad? Do you feel on edge or relaxed? Do you feel tired or energetic? Do you feel angry or calm?...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Mystery and Crime, Writing Fiction
Here’s a quick question for you: what’s easiest to write – a ‘woman in jeopardy’ story or a police procedural? If you are (or have been) a police officer, then ‘police procedural’ might be the answer for you. If you know...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Mystery and Crime, Writing Fiction
I admit that this might start to sound a bit like the developments in your favorite (or most-hated) soap opera – but remember: readers LOVE to be surprised! Your job is to tread the fine line between giving them a plot twist that they didn’t see coming,...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
When you go to see a movie, you instantly know what characters look like; one glance at the screen lets you absorb dozens of small details. Obviously, writers have a much harder task. You do have one advantage over film: you can tap into the character’s...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Writing Fiction
Here’s a quick question for you: what’s easiest to write – a ‘woman in jeopardy’ story or a police procedural? If you are (or have been) a police officer, then ‘police procedural’ might be the answer for you. If you know...
