Why Your Book Will Fail Without Good Characters: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 3

December 2, 2022November 18, 2022 / E.J. Robison / 1 Comment

Welcome to my ten-part series where we’ll be going through the ten basics of storytelling as outlined in my guidebook The 10 Lost Elements of Storytelling – a book you can get for free by subscribing to my newsletter! In these posts, we’ll be going over the basics of these storytelling elements, but my guidebook is more detailed … Continue reading Why Your Book Will Fail Without Good Characters: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 3

How Do I Create Good Characters?

August 25, 2020August 23, 2020 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

You’ve heard me talk about how important characters are when you’re writing a story, but the next question is how do you create those amazing characters that will sell your story to your readers/viewers/listeners? The first thing you need to know up front is that it’s not easy to create good characters. It takes tons … Continue reading How Do I Create Good Characters?

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: A Lesson on Writing Satire and Humour

March 21, 2023March 15, 2023 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

Sometimes, the best writing tips of all come from simply reading books, which is one of the main reasons why I’m launching this under-appreciated classics series. Some of my all-time favourite books are ones that have mostly been lost to obscurity – but I think they have so much for us to learn. (Not to … Continue reading Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: A Lesson on Writing Satire and Humour

The Pros of Small-Scale Fantasy

March 14, 2023March 2, 2023 / E.J. Robison / 4 Comments

When we think of fantasy, we often think of huge, epic quests to save the world. Defeat the dark lord, restore the light, and bring peace to the entire land. But sometimes, fantasy can – and should – be small-scale. While reading The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson after my fiction fast, I was … Continue reading The Pros of Small-Scale Fantasy

Why Wicked Works: Behind the Musical that Captivates the World

February 21, 2023February 10, 2023 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

If you’ve never heard of Wicked the musical, I’m sorry to tell you that you’ve been living under a rock. Though you probably won’t hear your average Joe belting “Defying Gravity” out of nowhere anymore like you could a decade ago, Wicked is far from being forgotten. Just take my recent experience as an example. … Continue reading Why Wicked Works: Behind the Musical that Captivates the World

2 Quick Cheats That Instantly Fix a Scene

February 3, 2023January 18, 2023 / E.J. Robison / 1 Comment

Have you ever been editing a scene that you’ve written and just get the feeling that something vital is missing? You’ve followed all the beats, made sure your dialogue is solid, fleshed out all of the characters, and yet, something isn’t quite right. I’ve come across this feeling countless times. Sometimes, the only solution in … Continue reading 2 Quick Cheats That Instantly Fix a Scene

Review: The Incredible Adventures of Chana in Judea by Emil Buchman

January 31, 2023January 18, 2023 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

Rating: 2/5 stars – not for me Chana Buchman is an average thirteen-year-old girl. She loves her family, but they also get on her nerves, which is why she’s less than thrilled when she finds herself on a “trip of a lifetime” to Israel with her parents and four siblings. But when Chana peeks through … Continue reading Review: The Incredible Adventures of Chana in Judea by Emil Buchman

Stick the Landing: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 10

January 27, 2023January 11, 2023 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

Welcome to the final instalment in my ten-part series where we’ve gone through the ten basics of storytelling as outlined in my guidebook The 10 Lost Elements of Storytelling – a book you can get for free by subscribing to my newsletter! In these posts, we’ve pounded out the basics of these storytelling elements, but my guidebook is … Continue reading Stick the Landing: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 10

The Thrawn Trilogy: The Importance of Story “Cleanup”

January 24, 2023January 13, 2023 / E.J. Robison / 3 Comments

There are good endings, the ones that leave us crying or make us smile, blessing us with a feeling of wonderful satisfaction. There are bad endings, the ones that make us yell and throw our books against the wall. Why do we never talk about the “meh” endings? Because they, perhaps, are the worst kind … Continue reading The Thrawn Trilogy: The Importance of Story “Cleanup”

Are You Cheating the “Show Don’t Tell” Rule with Dialogue?: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 9

January 20, 2023 / E.J. Robison / Leave a comment

Welcome to my ten-part series where we’ll be going through the ten basics of storytelling as outlined in my guidebook The 10 Lost Elements of Storytelling – a book you can get for free by subscribing to my newsletter! In these posts, we’ll pound out the basics of these storytelling elements, but my guidebook is … Continue reading Are You Cheating the “Show Don’t Tell” Rule with Dialogue?: Basic Storytelling Elements Part 9

E.J. Robison

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