Category Archives: Craft

Writing Tips

Thursday Thoughts: Universal Places We Go

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Silver James

When you write fiction, your greatest talent is your imagination. Oh, it helps to be a wordsmith–the ability to form sentences that tell your story, but without that all important imagination, there’s not much of a story to tell. See, … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Appearances

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Silver James

Whenever I do a “talk” with readers, one consistent question that comes up is about creating characters. Where do I get my characters? How do I develop their personalities, backstories, arc, etc.? When this message from the Universe hit my … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Rethinking

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Silver James

Writing. It’s what I do. Okay. It’s what I used to do. For almost two years now, pulling words from my imagination and slapping them on a keyboard so that they appear on my computer monitor has pretty much been … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Magic

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Silver James

Writing fiction has been described as making magic. In a way, I suppose that’s true. I mean, we close our eyes, pluck characters and events and settings from the vast cosmic void that makes up our imaginations. Then we use … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Casting

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Silver James

Why do we meet certain people at certain times in our lives? Why do we lose people–for whatever reasons–at others? Karma? God winks? Fate? Just because? I have no clue and I’m open to suggestions. That said, as a writer, … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Worldbuilding

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Silver James

For many people, their world has narrowed to the small space they call home. Social interaction with anyone but family or roommates is at a minimum and it’s much the same with the outside world. I’d probably be pretty frantic … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Feelings

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Silver James

As a romance author, one of the most important things I must imbue in my characters is their emotions. All the joy, hate, sadness, love, despair, jealousy, surprise, anticipation, trust and distrust, fear, amusement, bravery, disgust… The list of emotions … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Criticism

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Silver James

Ouch. Criticism hurts. Bad reviews sting. Rejections make you wonder if you’ll ever add new words to a page again. Been there. Done that. Didn’t buy the T-shirt. Silver, the need to criticize belies a longing for recognition, appreciation, and … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Backstory

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Silver James

We’re halfway through April. It snowed this week. Always easier to social distance when the weather is yucky. But it’s April!?!? And being April, if I have any chance of meeting writing goals this year, I have to start shaking … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Words

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Silver James

One of the strategems that romance writers often use to create drama and tension is the “Great Misunderstanding”–words or actions tossed out that create hurt feelings. In romance, this has become if not a trope, a cliché. This in and … Continue reading →

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