How to establish character identification by Stavros Halvatzis: “In a well-crafted film or novel, we often identify with the characters in the story. At the very least, we need to identify with the protagonist – if we are to be drawn into the tale at all. By identification, I mean the tendency to experience a character’s achievements, failures, foibles, likes and dislikes as if they were our own. Identification is not the same as liking the character, although, in the traditional story, it is one of the most important elements. Because identification helps to draw us into the story more effectively than is otherwise possible, it is one of the most important story-telling skills to master.”
How to Read More by Leo Babauta: “Lots of people say they want to read more, but don’t know how to start. Read this. It should help.”
The Power of Polish by Russell Blake: “If you can’t sit back and say, upon re-read, that you’ve done the very best job you can, you’re selling yourself and your readers short. You both deserve better, so slow down, have a little patience, and get out the thesaurus and Strunk and White. Don’t cut yourself any slack.”
Plot or Subplot by Amy Romine
Catching Your World on Paper: “World building, in it’s most basic form, is the process by which an author takes the story as it is in his or her mind and carefully reconstructs it on the page.”
