Author Archive: Eileen Cook
How To Write Really Interesting Blog Posts
For many writers, a part of promoting themselves and their books is writing blog posts. But many of us (say me for example) find ourselves looking at a blank page and a blinking cursor and freeze up. We might write a 90k novel with no hesitation, but the idea of writing a 900-word blog post […]
In Defense of Unlikeable Characters- Five Tips to Keep Readers Engaged
It’s a well-known writing tip- your main character should be likeable. Readers enjoy being able to identify with a character, to cheer her on toward her goal. This can be hard to do when they’re unlikable. It’s good advice. However, I keep doing the opposite- I write complicated, messy, often seriously flawed characters. Books like […]
Why Would You Do That? Understanding Motivation
We ask a lot of our characters. We put them in situations where they must create magic, find love, battle terrorists, win back their crowns, navigate secret space portals, solve murders, and everything else we can imagine as writers. We also ask our readers to invest their time and money on the adventures of these […]
I Can’t Believe You Said That- Using Dialogue to Build Conflict
Dialogue is a critical component of your novel. It shows character, provides an opportunity to move the plot forward, and increases your pacing by breaking up large narrative blocks. This article focuses on how dialogue can also help build the conflict in your novel. All novels require conflict. Agents, editors, and readers rarely feel that […]
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