I love writing historical novels. I love diving into the research of the era. I do crazy things like get dressed in the right attire, and listen to music from the area. It’s so important to get it right. I wanted to quickly give you 5 tips on writing a great historical. It’s all about knowing your Era! Notes: Get books and articles written in the era to understand the lingo, the culture concerns, the political issues. You need to get your head in the mind of your character by diving into that era. Rent movies and read books set in this era! You can’t always rely on other people’s research, but you can get ideas to confirm later on. Read biographies about people set in this time. It’s another […]
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The Fairytale Code: Write a great story using Fairytale Elements
One of the things we love to do at My Book Therapy is “break it down.” Just what does it take to write a great story? Fairytales capture our imagination in many ways. The art of creating worlds full of the supernatural, good verses evil and true love have been around since… well, The Garden. The elements of traditional fairytales are often found in fantasy and modern day science fiction. And of course, love stories. This week and next, I want to break down the technical fundamentals of a fairytale. You’ll see we use them in our “non fairytale” stories as well. Story world. All stories must have some story world, but those with a fairytale element, must have a rich, dynamic story world. The characters’ world must go beyond […]
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Ask the Doc: How do I decide what scenes to put in the book?
Have you heard “let the action unfold on stage” while studying the craft of writing? If not, you have now. On stage means “on the page.” As you write your story and plot your scenes a critical choice you face is deciding what must happen on stage, and what can happen “behind the scenes.” I’m going to quote one of my favorite books, “Love Begins with Elle.” When I chose my on stage scenes, I always asked: What is important for the reader to invest in? No enough on stage action, and the readers don’t care. Too much, and I’ve bogged down the story with every little detail. The major scenes are easy. Like when the heroine meets the hero, when the heroine is proposed to, when the heroine realizes she’s […]
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Yet Another Tip On How to Write A Great Novel
Do you ever weary of all the do’s and don’ts of writing a novel? I do. Sometimes I get so bogged down with the “rules” and guidelines I end up writing something that doesn’t work. But in the end, it all forms together to create the novel I do end up sending to my editor. Nothing written for a novel is never wasted. Every word becomes a layer and texture of the ultimate story. On my latest novel, I learned a valuable lesson. Reading. Shocker, right? Y’all are rolling your eyes, moaning, “Gee whiz, Rachel, and you have fifteen novels published!? Where’s the justice?”Simmer down. I know reading is important. I’ve always read. Let me be more specific. Reading for research. I do a ton of research for my novels. […]
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