Category Archives: Craft

Writing Tips

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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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Knowing

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Silver James

I’m nosy. I eavesdrop on conversations in public places. I watch people. I want to know what’s going on. Why? Because I’m a writer. Writers are almost always students of human nature. We have to be. Yes, characters and stories … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Signs

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Silver James

Remember that old saying about stopping to smell the roses? When Only was little, we did that. A lot. We spent over an hour watching a cicada metamorph from a “beetle” into it’s winged version. The technical term for their … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Journey

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Silver James

I swear the Universe writes romance under a pen name. (If I hadn’t met her in person, I might suspect the Big U is actually Nora Roberts/JD Robb.) Today’s message explains how to write a novel in three lines with … Continue reading →

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Character Arc

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Silver James

One of the first things a fiction writer needs to understand is the journey a character makes from the beginning of his or her story to the end. We here in the trenches call that the character arc. Interesting stories … Continue reading →

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