Author Archives: Rob Bignell

Good stories center on the clashing of characters’ goals and motivations. Sometimes a character’s goals and motivations arise from or are affected by being tricked or deceived. Here are four writing prompts for stories that center on betrayal. Man vs. natureA man who should have been hailed as a hero is betrayed and left to dieContinue reading “Four Writing Prompts: Betrayal”

Oh what a difference a space makes – so don’t be careless and make this typo. “Careless” with no space means to be negligent or reckless because one hasn’t put enough forethought into or isn’t paying attention to something. For example: Jenny’s careless driving led to a head-on collision. “Care less” with a space means to thatContinue reading “Because you’re not sloppy: Careless vs. care less”

One sign of a good opener is that it makes the reader want to continue with the story. Using a fishing metaphor, a good opener “hooks” the reader. Writers who catch the reader have employed a successful narrative hook. A narrative hook involves dangling elements of the story before the reader so he can’t help butContinue reading “Write a Great Narrative Hook for Your Fiction Story”

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison “Ink and paper are sometimes passionate lovers, oftentimes brother and sister, and occasionally mortal enemies.” ― Terri Guillemets “I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing aboutContinue reading “Five Great Quotes about the Passion for Writing”

All too often, struggling writers sabotage themselves without even realizing it. They do this by labeling themselves as an “aspiring novelist,” or as a “wannabe writer.” Perhaps they even say stuff like “I wish I were a writer” or “Someday I’ll publish a book.” Such terminology highlights not the writers’ vision but their failure. Rather thanContinue reading “There’s No Need to “Want” to be a Writer. Simply Write.”

“It is advantageous to an author that his book should be attacked as well as praised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it be struck at one end of the room, it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must be struck at both ends.” – Samuel Johnson “Pay no attention to what theContinue reading “Five Great Quotations about Book Critics”

Good stories center on the clashing of characters’ goals and motivations. Sometimes a character’s goals and motivations arise from overcoming one’s fears. Here are four writing prompts for stories that deal with the theme of fear. Man vs. natureOur main character is placed in an environment that he has a great fear of it. Perhaps it’sContinue reading “Four Writing Prompts: Fear”

Sometimes an apostrophe can make all of the difference. So it is with these words. “Ma’am” is the correct spelling of the polite address of a woman, as in “Thank you for the change, ma’am.” “Mam” refers to a member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala or to the language they speak. ______________ My nameContinue reading “Excuse me, er… Mam vs. ma’am”