I recently had an idea for a story that would take place on a submarine. Problem is, I know nothing about submarines. And it’s been a long time since I’ve had to do so much research for something would be so fundamental for the story I was writing. I mean, if the entire story takes … Continue reading Submarine Musings, or The Library Welcomes Me Home
Author: Jordan
Finding the Themes in your Writing
You don't have to have a college degree in English or comparative literature to read a novel and see the themes it carries. Every story we read or watch or hear has a theme as part of its foundation. Finding the themes in your novel and emphasizing them will give your story more meaning. I recently finished … Continue reading Finding the Themes in your Writing
Making Time to “Read a Lot:” The First Part of Becoming a Writer
In his inspiring craft book, On Writing, Stephen King gives this famous advice: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut." If you're a writer, then chances are that … Continue reading Making Time to “Read a Lot:” The First Part of Becoming a Writer
Raising the Stakes: Lessons from H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau
I recently finished reading H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau. I wanted to read to read it because, for one reason, it's a classic piece of science fiction, so, you know. It's worth a look if you're a science fiction writer. Which I am. But I was also interested because I have my own Doctor Moreau - … Continue reading Raising the Stakes: Lessons from H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau
Three Ways for Writers to Use Spotify
A lot of writers like to listen to music while they write, or to help them brainstorm. Spotify is a great source of free, legal, streamable music, and if you're the type of writer who likes to use music as a source of inspiration, I thought I'd pass on to you some different ideas for … Continue reading Three Ways for Writers to Use Spotify
Best Podcasts about the Writing Craft
If you follow me then you know it's taken me some time to get this post up. It took me a while this time because I had a lot of podcasts to sort through. I really try to make sure I have good, helpful content for you that you'll be able to use in your … Continue reading Best Podcasts about the Writing Craft
Why Discouragement is the Writer’s Greatest Obstacle, and How to Overcome It
The greatest stumbling block of every artist, writer or otherwise, is discouragement. Without looking at statistics or surveys, my guess would be that nothing does a better job of keeping a story in a box under your bed than discouragement. As part of this blog and my efforts to create a brand for myself, I do a lot of … Continue reading Why Discouragement is the Writer’s Greatest Obstacle, and How to Overcome It
The Best Authors to Follow on Social Media if You’re a Writer
When I was a kid, I wrote a letter to J. K. Rowling telling her how much I loved Harry Potter. I got a letter back from Scholastic (I think it was Scholastic, I can't remember who was publishing Harry Potter back then) thanking me for my letter, and informing me that Ms. Rowling wished … Continue reading The Best Authors to Follow on Social Media if You’re a Writer
The Best Craft Books that Every Writer Should Read
If you're a writer who isn't quite ready to jump into the wide world of publishing and networking, then maybe the best place for you to start as a writer is to read craft books. (In the context of writing, a craft book, for anyone who doesn't know, is a book about the writing craft - … Continue reading The Best Craft Books that Every Writer Should Read
Creating Complicated Characters: Lessons from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
No one does character complexity better than Shakespeare himself, so if you can get yourself past the iambic pentameter and the nitty-gritty English 101 details, we can learn a lot from his works. Though it is one of his lesser-known plays, The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra is no exception. Image Credit: Wikipedia. Cleopatra, by John William Waterhouse, 1888. … Continue reading Creating Complicated Characters: Lessons from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
Jordan Radford Writes 