by Michael Mahin | Blog, Character Development, Characterization, Children's Writing, Picture Books, Story Development, Writing Advice, Writing Exercises, Writing Tips
Without memorable characters, your story is dead in the water. Nothing can save it. Not a great plot. Not a great premise. Not a great climax. Why? Because if readers don’t like your characters, they will not care what happens. The good news is, the fix is... 
by Michael Mahin | Blog, Character Development, Children's Writing, Picture Books, Story Development, Writing Advice, Writing Exercises, Writing Tips
Whether you like to plan out your stories first, or whether your “story” is something you discover after your first draft, being able to identify what kind of story problem you are exploring is a critical step in refining and focusing your narrative.... 
by Michael Mahin | Blog, Character Development, Picture Books, Story Development, Structure, Writing Advice, Writing Exercises, Writing Tips
What if I told you the structure of your story is already written and that all you had to do was fill-in-the-blanks? Sound too good to be true? It is. Kind of. While storytelling is never this easy, Eve Heidi Bine-Stock’s analysis of storytelling strategies... 
by Michael Mahin | Blog, Book Reviews, Character Development, Characterization, Writing Advice, Writing Tips
REVIEW: Getting Into Character: 7 Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins. [This is Part 2. Click here for Part 1.] Kurt Vonnegut has some great, snappy sayings about writing. Here’s one of my favorites: “Every character should want something,...
