Look for places in your story where your character can self-sabotage, or get in their own way. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

A small amount of foreshadowing can go a long way in making a plot twist believable. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

When it comes to pacing, scenes with more exposition/description will slow down a story. Dialogue will speed it up.  #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

There’s no order in creativity. The act of creating is messy, but anything that pops into your head (and is put on paper) can be built upon. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

How a character reacts when they don’t get what they want is what keeps a story moving forward. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Practicing—putting in the 10,000 hours—learning from successes and failures, and READING the works of others is how good writers are made.  #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

When, where, and how a character fights will tell us a lot about who they are. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Four years and nothing has changed at all.... Except the secrets we let grow between us. books2read.com/u/md6wQw #amreading #amreadingromance #contemporaryromance #booktwt #kindle #fridayreads #weekendreads

Weather isn’t always a perfect metaphor. Not every fight between characters should take place during a thunderstorm. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

The journey of the character-driven story often involves self-discovery, which (ideally) leads to transformation. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Create big problems for your characters. Make those problems as thorny as you can. Push them to their limit. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

“Storyteller” is one of the most powerful positions on the planet. Don’t take the responsibility lightly. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

A good story is made up of a memorable/extraordinary event and an unforgettable character. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

We live in the age of Google and Wikipedia—anything you don’t know, you can research. Do the research, then let your imagination fill in the blanks. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

If we have something worth saying/writing, then it's up to us to be good stewards of our time. No one is going to force us into the chair. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Reading good writing will help you with the rhythm and pacing of your own stories. #amwriting #amreading #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Every scene should raise its own questions, and it's this curiosity/concern for your characters that will encourage readers to turn the page to discover what happens next. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Storytelling structure helps us wrangle the creativity and put our ideas in the places that they're meant to go to have the most profound impact on the reader. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

The best characters come with their own set of flaws, and, at the end of the day, whether or not they are “likeable” is a stale litmus where story is concerned. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

“A very beautiful, very intriguing, and very good story. The characters were great. The writing was phenomenal. It was the perfect combination of romance and thriller.” —Veronica books2read.com/u/bo2M09 #amreading #booktwt #yalit #kindle #weekendreads

Whether it’s for our growth or because something better is headed our way, Rejection is what sends us down the right path: exactly where we’re meant to be.  #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerslife #writingtips #writerslift

The rhythm/pacing of a story is built around scene structure. The length (or how long or short your scenes are) is what drives the flow. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Deepen your plots and characters by creating contradictions. Look for opposites to play against your character’s (and your reader’s) expectations. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Values help make your characters unique, and a strong code of behavior (even though they aren’t perfect) will help raise their worthiness.  #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Believe in yourself. You already have everything you need to succeed. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerslife #writerslift

In fiction, there should be a clear rationale for why your character said what they said or did what they did. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

If you've chosen to live a creative life, chances are your values don't quite align with society (and what it thinks you “should” be doing). Do it anyway. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerslife #writerslift

Paying attention to the dialogue and reading subtitles when watching movies can help us craft stronger conversations in our own writing. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Act out your dialogue. If it sounds the tiniest bit contrived/awkward, fix it. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

It's okay for a character to be insightful and intelligent and witty, but sometimes they need to say and do the wrong things. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

When a character’s routine is disrupted, they are forced to restore order. A carefully ordered world that falls into chaos is needed to set your story in motion.  #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

A character will use their moral compass to determine what’s right and wrong and how they will behave in certain situations. Know their core values. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

When she slipped out of my life, I thought I’d lost her forever. Four years. Two secrets. One happily ever after? Jesse ♥ Claire books2read.com/u/md6wQw #amreading #amreadingromance #contemporaryromance #booktwt #kindle

Feedback is great, but not at the expense of your story or voice. If you don’t feel comfortable with a suggestion or see how it will make the story better, let it go. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

There's no rule that says every sentence must dance across the page, but if you can, make it beautiful. The discerning reader will notice. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Characters should reveal themselves differently to every new story person they meet. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

A character’s values can be fluid, the intensity varying from one situation to the next. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

The rules within a story world (no matter the genre) must make sense. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

It’s worth the time and effort to find the narrator and point of view that will bring out the best in our writing and storytelling skills. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Failure doesn’t have to equal defeat. Treat it as experience and a lesson learned for when the next opportunity rolls around. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #writerslift

Sentence structure and word choice are two of the most important tools in your writer's kit. Vary your sentence structure. Choose evocative words. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

Putting your character’s key principles to the test is an easy way to raise the stakes in a story. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

If we don’t know what your character is wishing for, how can we know when/if they’re getting what they want? #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

A good story is made up of a time and/or place the reader can lose themselves in. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP

If we don’t know what your character expects to happen, how will we know when their hopes have been dashed? #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

The best characters are dealt a catalyst that challenges their moral compass, causing them to undergo a transformation. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

In a story, the catalyst (or inciting incident) acts as a “call to action” so the character can fulfill their destiny. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

All stories begin and end in the same general manner: with a disruption and restoration (or acceptance) of order. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Just because a story follows a formula doesn’t mean it’s formulaic. Structure doesn’t quell creativity. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP #screenwriting

Your main storyline should never be more than one scene away. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writingtips #WIP