Pace it off (or why pacing is important in storytelling) When you are writing, one of the most important factors to note is pace. That is the balance between action-packed sequences and more slow-moving explorative sequences. There’s no perfect recipe -- it depends a...

Any fiction best seller list will almost certainly contain at least a few crime fiction novels. With a huge number of fans both young and old it is a seriously popular genre. With such a long-lasting and universal appeal, what has made crime fiction so popular? While...

Who wants to hang off cliffs anyway? (cliff-hangers in story telling) The word cliff-hanger conjures up images of actor Sylvester Stallone hanging precariously off mountain tops, doing his very best to simultaneously save and end people’s lives. The whole movie is...

Where are we going again? (the sacrosanct story outline) I recently attended a book signing by a celebrated local author. Once the business of the book signing had been completed, those lucky enough to stay squeezed into the shop engaged in a short Q&A session...

For me, story telling is all about characters. They are the real driving force behind everything and the reason why I write. It’s all about them: what they feel, what they go through. The story is just a channel for them to accomplish their emotional journey....

Music has always taken an important place in my life. I listen to it, every day -- on my way to work, all day long while at work, when I relax at home. I would even listen to it in the shower, if I had one of those water-proof radios -- Santa, if you’re hearing...