Sometimes it’s hard to know how to start a story, and that’s why I pulled together these opening scene examples. I’m going to talk a little more about first scenes than first lines, though I’ll mention some first lines, too. These are only some of the many good ways to start a novel. I know it can be hard to figure
Author: Bryn Donovan
Hi friends! On the first Wednesday of every month, I share an excerpt of what I’m working on and invite you to do the same. It’s okay if it’s rough! Mine will always be! It’s great to leave encouraging comments, but don’t critique anyone’s work, unless they specifically request it. This is sharing time, not uninvited beta reader time. (It is never uninvited
Mr. Donovan and I usually spend the holiday break in Phoenix, where his parents and many of his siblings live. This year, after Christmas, we headed up into the mountains of Flagstaff, AZ with a few of his siblings and their kids, so that the kids could go sledding. Unfortunately, northern Arizona didn’t get as much snow as predicted. We drove
Note: this post was originally part of a writing series, and some comments may refer to that. Beginning a big new writing project can be daunting for some of us, especially if we haven’t done it before… or if we haven’t done it in a while, and we’re trying to get back into the groove. Here’s my advice for getting ready for a
(By the way, I am not drinking champagne on a beach in France, as the photo implies. I’m on my way back to Kansas City, and I’m glamorously drinking champagne in an inexpensive hotel room in Amarillo, TX. I just thought it was a nice image!) As I said in my video about my New Year’s resolutions, 2015 was a
Hey y’all! I did a series of posts about personality traits for different zodiac signs, with the idea that they could inspire fictional characters in your writing. For everyone’s convenience, this post links to all of the ones in the series. (I formatted some of these differently than others, but I’m not changing it. I’m not a Virgo.) Click on the name
Hi friends! Welcome to my final post about using zodiac signs to create fictional characters. Whether you believe in astrology or not, it’s a fun way for writers to think about character development. I promised I would finish up this series before the end of the year. In before the lock! Let’s take a look at Pisces, the sign of