Welcome to our informational blog.
Topics covered include literary theory and practice, academic writing techniques, philosophy of education, and explanations of our methods for enhancing creative intelligence.
Finding Your Focus: High Concept vs. Low Concept
A book writing coach can use the concepts of high- and low-concept storytelling as generative tools to help writers develop their projects. By introducing these concepts early on, the coach can help writers clarify their creative direction, strengthen the thematic core of their ideas, and identify the most suitable narrative approach for their story.
Writing for the Future: Octavia Butler’s Vision of Society
Butler’s groundbreaking approach opened the genre to perspectives beyond the traditional, white, male-dominated narratives, inspiring a new generation of writers to incorporate social issues into their science fiction and fantasy work. Writers looking to carry on Octavia Butler’s legacy can use a one-on-one writing coach to develop their craft and refine the social awareness and imaginative storytelling that characterized her work.
Anatomy of a Page-Turner
With guidance on story structure, pacing, character arcs, and voice, book coaching services offer new authors the tools and confidence they need to transform their ideas into a polished manuscript that readers can’t put down.
From Dickens to the Digital Age: The Evolving Use of Slang in Literature
From Charles Dickens' London street slang to the internet-based language of today’s young adult novels, the intentional use of informal language can bring stories closer to readers’ real-world experiences. However, slang also presents unique challenges with authenticity, readability, and cultural missteps. For authors navigating these complexities, the guidance of an online book writing coach can be invaluable, offering insights on effective use, responsible research, and stylistic balance.
The Greek Chorus Reimagined: Transforming Classic Techniques for Today’s Stories
Modern storytelling continues to use collective commentary and thematic reflection to shape audience perceptions and provide new layers of meaning. Whether through direct adaptations or subtle inspirations, the essential functions of the Greek chorus—commentary, foreshadowing, and moral questioning—persist as narrative tools. Modern writers, aiming to reinvent the Greek chorus for contemporary audiences, can greatly benefit from working with a professional writing coach.
The Composite Novel: Lessons from Jean Toomer’s Cane
For modern novelists interested in experimenting with composite forms, studying Cane offers valuable insights into how disparate narrative elements can be unified through recurring themes. The guidance of a book writing coach can further aid authors in mastering this complex form, ensuring that their work maintains coherence while embracing diverse storytelling techniques.
Crafting Proustian Prose: Sense and Memory
Proust’s work delves into the way memory shapes identity, often through sensory triggers that connect the present with the past. His style has left a lasting mark on literature, influencing both his contemporaries and today’s “Proustian” writers. Working with a freelance writing coach can be invaluable in navigating this style, allowing writers to explore sensory-driven memories and subjective storytelling techniques.
Lightening the Load: Tips for Weaving Comedic Relief into Serious Stories
Good comedic relief is hard to write, particularly when it risks feeling out of place or detracting from the central plot. Writing consulting services offer authors valuable support in this process, helping them integrate humor that works with the story’s emotional pacing.
A Journey in Three Parts: Dante's Influence on Contemporary Storytelling
Dante’s classic structure, with its movement from darkness toward light, serves as an ideal foundation for depicting transformation or personal growth, making it especially appealing for stories that involve deep moral, spiritual, or psychological journeys. Working with a book coach, an author can refine this approach to suit their particular narrative, whether it leans towards literary fiction, fantasy, memoir, or even speculative genres.
Story Structure Essentials: Building an Impactful Inciting Incident
The timing and impact of the inciting incident are essential to maintaining reader engagement and establishing a clear, compelling direction for the story. However, finding the right moment and form for this turning point can be challenging for many writers. Writing consultant services offer valuable support by helping authors craft an effective inciting incident, refining its placement, and ensuring it aligns with the story’s thematic and structural goals.
Crafting Genre-Driven Literary Fiction: Strategies and Support from Writing Coaches
In recent years, some literary writers have begun integrating the plot structures and motifs of genre fiction to create works that balance thematic depth with genre-driven narrative elements. By working with an online book writing coach, writers of literary fiction can navigate this crossover, using genre conventions to enhance storytelling while maintaining their unique literary qualities.
Story Structure: How Writers Can Shape Engaging Narratives
Understanding story structure is crucial for organizing a narrative effectively, and with the guidance of a book writing coach, an author can use this knowledge to enhance the planning and execution of their work.
Character Development 101: Tools and Techniques for Crafting Realistic Personalities
By focusing on key aspects like motivations, dialogue, and flaws, writers can bring depth and authenticity to their characters. Additionally, the guidance of a writing consultant can be particularly valuable during this process, offering feedback that refines and strengthens character development.
The Art of Flash Fiction: Techniques for Concise Storytelling
Navigating the challenges of flash fiction can be a daunting task for authors, particularly because the form demands precision, economy of language, and a strong command of storytelling structure within tight constraints. A professional writing coach can provide valuable guidance to help an author overcome these hurdles, offering tailored advice on how to refine their approach and enhance their skills.
Creating a Dynamic Outline: How to Plan and Evolve Your Manuscript
An online book writing coach can provide practical guidance in building a book outline, tailored to the specific needs and genre of the project. For a fiction author, for instance, the coach might suggest beginning with a high-level outline that maps out the overall structure of the story. This could include identifying major plot points such as the inciting incident, key turning points, and the climax.
From Whale-Roads to Modern Metaphors: Kennings in Contemporary Poetry
While rooted in early medieval poetry, kennings have continued to inspire contemporary poets, who adapt this ancient form to enrich modern language and imagery. By working with a freelance creative writing coach, poets today can explore kennings in a structured and personalized way, learning to incorporate these historical techniques into their own creative work.
Do You Need a Literary Agent? Understanding the Role of Agents in Traditional Publishing
The decision to seek representation depends largely on an author's career goals, preferred publishing routes, and desire for professional support in negotiating deals. For those pursuing an agent, guidance from an online writing coach can be instrumental in refining their approach and improving their chances of success.
Djuna Barnes’s Legacy: Coaching Modernism
Djuna Barnes was a pioneering modernist writer whose challenging, lyrical prose and exploration of complex, often marginalized identities made her a distinctive voice in 20th-century literature. Writers who admire Djuna Barnes can channel her distinctive style and thematic focus by working closely with a book-writing coach who understands her unique literary contributions.
Culinary Arts in Literature: Exploring Character and Culture Through Food
Whether food is used to heal, to evoke memories, or to create tension, the culinary motif serves as a versatile tool in the hands of skilled writers. A novelist working with a professional writing coach can explore the use of food and cooking as a literary device by delving into how culinary elements can enhance narrative depth, symbolism, and character development.
Paris in Fiction: Romantic, Gritty, and Timeless
Paris is more than just a backdrop; it is a central character, one that continues to shape and inform the narratives of those who write within and about it. An author seeking to explore a city like Paris as a central setting can benefit greatly from the guidance of a creative writing consultant.