All writers are storytellers. Whether you are writing a novel or a blog post, you are essentially telling a story. But how do you become a better storyteller? How do you ensure that your narrative and characters aren't dry and boring? How do you make it all feel real whether it is a non-fiction or… Continue reading How to Be a Better Storyteller
Tag: characters
Inspiration Tools for Fantasy Writers
Hey, fellow fantasy writers. Today, I wanted to share with you a few perhaps lesser-known ways to find inspiration for your fantasy worlds and characters... Pottermore Anyone who is a Harry Potter fan will know of the site Pottermore, which is rich in extended content about the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts universe. I've recently… Continue reading Inspiration Tools for Fantasy Writers
Limits to Change
It's September, guys, and I don't know about you but I am feeling kind of like I've got a chance to start afresh. I don't know if it's because it's the changing of the season, or because we used to start a new school year in September, but for the first time I'm not sad… Continue reading Limits to Change
What A Panel of Black Authors Meant for Me
On Tuesday this week, I was able to hear authors Tomi Adeyemi (pictured with me above), Yomi Adegoke, and Elizabeth Uviebinene talk at a bookstore. These authors all had one thing in common - they were black, and they were Nigerian. It was a euphoric experience! I'm not the kind of woman (and never was… Continue reading What A Panel of Black Authors Meant for Me
How I Know I was Meant to be a Middle-Grade Author
Hopefully you know by now that I've made the switch from writing YA fantasy to now writing MG fantasy. I've been thinking lately that it's always been obvious that I am better suited to children's fantasy than young adult or teen fantasy, and here's why... I can be poetic and whimsical and silly with my… Continue reading How I Know I was Meant to be a Middle-Grade Author
How I became a fantasy author
Today I wanted to just kind of ramble about the fantasy that I love and how they have definitely been detrimental to my being a fantasy author myself now. Here we go... Cartoon Network I think it's safe to say that my fantasy-love journey started with this beautiful children's TV broadcasting channel. Carton Network showed… Continue reading How I became a fantasy author
Why Writing is Hard
Writing is hard. It is. Not because writing something is hard, because technically everyone can write something. Not because coming up with good ideas is hard, because all kinds of people (extraordinary and not so extraordinary) can come up with ideas everyday. No, writing is hard because: Discipline - it takes discipline to sit with… Continue reading Why Writing is Hard
7 Scary Things in the Eternity Series
Due to it being Halloween and all that, let's list 7 scary things that are featured in my dark fantasy series... Demons of the Underworld, appearing in three forms: The Winged, The Imprinted, and The Colossal. Their skeletal and shredded wings, leaking irises, greying skin and dual voices. Vampires who become skeletal under the curse… Continue reading 7 Scary Things in the Eternity Series
Why “Red Queen” Wasn’t All ThatÂ
Under-developed characters: I felt that Mare Barrow (the main character) was very meh for me. She seemed bland and just an accessory for the story instead of a strong, developed, real character. I didn't care about her or her story. I didn't like her. And I just couldn't get into her person. In fact, I… Continue reading Why “Red Queen” Wasn’t All ThatÂ
What Makes a Character BadÂ
They make decisions that don't really make sense. They're bad to be bad. They have no history. They don't want anything. There's nothing driving them forwards except you, the writer. They're a meh character. Nothing about them is interesting. No one cares about them. They aren't realistic. Maybe they're perfect or never make mistakes or… Continue reading What Makes a Character BadÂ
S. R. Crawford 