The Secret of my Success – Maybe

Hi, Gang. Craig with you again today. Honestly, there is a fudge in that title, because it depends upon what you call success. If you’re all about sales, volume, and bestseller lists I don’t have success. I’m more motivated by delivering a good story that readers will enjoy. In that regard, I’ve been quite successful …

It’s Time to Start Planning #NaNoWriMo

Hello,  SEers! It's a Mae Day on Story Empire. Thank you for joining me. In a few months, the writing world is going to embrace NaNoWriMo. If you’re new to the term, it’s a commitment that writers undertake each November. The goal is to write a 50K novel in thirty days. Accomplish that word count …

Let’s poke it with a stick

Hi, Gang. Craig with you today, and we’re going to do something different. I believe that nearly everything can be a case study of sorts. We get bits and bobs from everything we see, hear, observe, but some things like books, television, and films can help us with story structure. My SE partners are nicer …

Character Archetypes: The Shapeshifter

Hi gang, Craig with you today. This is post number six in the character archetypes series. In the Hero’s Journey, there are some common characters that are likely to show up in all stories. This doesn’t mean each archetype shows up in every story, and aside from the hero, the rest are kind of optional. …

Fishing for Plots #Plotting #StoryEmpire #WIPs

Hi, SEers! It's Mae Day on Story Empire, and I'm here to talk plotting—and fishing.  Early in our marriage, my husband introduced me to flounder fishing. That attachment eventually evolved into crabbing, clamming, and a long stretch of boat ownership, but in the beginning, it was all about catching the coveted flounder. I quickly learned …