We’re in the dog days of summer which can lead to a slow, reluctance to turn to the screen or the page and get new stories generated. Why do we feel this?

What can we do about it?

This writer offered a few tips and tricks:

• Read, read and read again – other writers can gently or violently shake something free in us
• Surround yourself with other writers – group, conferences, readings, book stores, go where the writers are
• Be open to conversation – you might avoid too much socializing when you’re focused, but right now you need conversation, so seek it out
• Spend time elsewhere – travel or retreat, get into a new space to shake yourself out of mundaneity

Our AI answers also suggest immersing yourself in the world. But being intentional about it is what matters. Don’t just move through the world, observe and record what you’re seeing and let those observations light the fuse to new stories.

Segment 2

Let’s talk about creativity as an inspiration. Do you watch other stories? Veer into nonfiction books? See concerts or artwork? 

Some image or phrase might inspire you to write the backstory or the what-happened-next. Sometimes movies can have a side character that makes you want to write what that character might be doing otherwise.

Can you be spontaneously inspired? What are the results of such experiences? Novels? Short stories?

Segment 3

Planned writing exercises? Yes, please. Some prompts might start a new story or inspire a character or longer work.

I like a writing prompt exercise but sometimes others’ prompts are dumb. Where do you get writing prompts?

Google AI. For real. Just ask it for writing prompts for adult writers. Otherwise you’ll get a bunch of elementary school prompts like “how was your summer vacation?”

Read more on the blog

It’s been a while since we did the grab bag thing. Here are some place to start but we’re sure to wander off and just riff a bit. I asked Gemini “What are Writers asking AI?”

• How can AI assist with research and brainstorming? AI can help writers research topics, generate outlines, and brainstorm ideas for stories or articles.
• Can AI help with editing and proofreading? Yes, AI writing assistants can offer real-time suggestions for grammar, style, and structure, improving the overall quality of writing.
• How can AI be used to enhance creativity? AI can generate prompts, scenarios, and alternative perspectives to help writers overcome creative blocks or explore new ideas.
• Can AI tools be used to tailor content for different audiences? AI can assist in analyzing audience demographics and preferences to customize the tone, style, and content to specific segments.

Some writers are worried about AI. They ask:

• Will AI replace human writers and artists? This is a significant concern, especially in fields like scriptwriting and content creation, where AI could automate tasks traditionally performed by humans.
• How will AI affect writers' income and compensation? Writers worry about the potential for downward pressure on wages due to the increased competition and automation offered by AI.
• What are the ethical implications of using AI in content creation? This includes questions about copyright infringement, plagiarism, biases in AI models, and the transparency of AI-generated content.
• How can intellectual property be protected in an AI-driven world? Concerns exist about AI systems being trained on copyrighted material without compensation or permission, leading to legal challenges and uncertainty about ownership of AI-generated content.
• How can the uniqueness and value of human-written work be preserved? Writers and industry professionals are exploring ways to differentiate human creativity from AI's capabilities and ensure fair compensation for human artists.

On X:

One writer asked, what are you writing that no one seems to want? – i.e. the MSWL for agents and publishers may not include your WIP.

Read more on the blog

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth

We’ve done these before (episodes 151–157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

DeadlySins.com gives us this definition: “Envy is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.” It happens when one is convinced others are smarter, luckier, more attractive, or better than themselves. The punishment is to be put in freezing water in the afterlife.  

Also according to DeadlySins.com, “medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Envy: “Envy according to the aspect of its object is contrary to charity, whence the soul derives its spiritual life… Charity rejoices in our neighbor’s good, while envy grieves over it.” (2, 36, ad 3)”

What kinds of characters are envious? 

What kinds of envy are there?

What famous characters have acted on envy to upend a protagonist’s efforts?

Read more on the blog

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholictheology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth

We’ve done these before (episodes 151–157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

According to DeadlySins.com Pride is excessive belief in one’s own abilities. It interferes with the acceptance of God’s grace and is the sin from which all others are born. It’s also called vanity. So let’s unpack that.

Read more on the blog

It’s been the summer of the Seven Deadly Sins series. This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. 

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholictheology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

• Pride
• Greed
• Lust
• Envy
• Gluttony
• Wrath
• Sloth

What is sloth? This link is “What is sloth and why is it worse than laziness?” and here’s what the author says: “The sin of sloth is a bit deeper than laziness, and that subtlety is found in the thing that keeps us bound up: fear.”

How does fear affect sloth? The dark side here is the lack of motivation or a person’s choice to accept the easy way, the lowest risk, by doing nothing. The Bible calls out idleness or failure to think toward the future and plan for it. Slothf

Read more on the blog

It’s been the summer of the Seven Deadly Sins series. This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. 

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

• Pride
• Greed
• Lust
• Envy
• Gluttony
• Wrath
• Sloth

What is wrath? Anger? Hate? Straight to the source, Christianity.com says this about wrath: 

Wrath can be summarized as strong vengeful hatred or resentment. The warnings of wrath in Christianity arise from the consequences of vengeance in human relations. We can become consumed by rage and revenge to the point of acting irrationally and immorally. This is the wickedness of wrath and why it is included as a deadly sin.

Some books where wrath plays a critical role (link):

• Lord of the Rings - Sauron - “evil scourge of Middle Earth” says enough
• The Wonderful World of Oz - the Wicked Witch of the West sends all the things to kill Dorothy
• The War of the Roses - a couple’s failed marriage turns into spite and wrath
• The Godfather - Michael’s almost entirely motivated by wrath of the vengeance variety
• Harry Potter - certainly Voldemort (Tom Riddle) but also Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black, and Severus Snape all act out of wrath
• Bond books - specifically supervillain SPECTRE leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld (featured in three Bond novels and six films) is one wrathful guy—and arguably the most diabolical of all of Bond’s nemeses
• Moby Dick - personifying wrath as vengeful God (i.e. nature) and Ahab’s tireless quest
• Othello - we know the revenge, the manipulation but Iago’s actions come from a place of deep hatred for Othello, he weaponizes his hate
• Stephen King gives us It and Carrie, both wrath-driven title characters

Wrath is a “sneaky” sin because it can simmer for years before a character takes action. It can also fuel microaggressions and show itself only in a slow drip, not a tornado invasion.

ProWriting Aid’s series on character traits is useful (we’ve used it the last two episodes). They list these as possible causes of anger or wrath (link):

• Chronic stress or anxiety
• Genetics or family history of anger issues
• Feelings of injustice or unfair treatment
• Inability to manage emotions effectively
• Learned behavior from family or peers
• Personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder
• Frustration with life circumstances or feeling powerless
• Traumatic experiences such as abuse or neglect
• Substance abuse or addiction

Read more on the blog

This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. So reading it might mean you don’t need our seven episodes but how about come along for the ride anyway?

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth

We’ve done these before (episodes 151–157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

This week’s focus is Greed. According to deadlysins.com “Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.”

In the Summa Theologiae, Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Greed: “it is a sin directly against one’s neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them… it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man contemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things.” (2, 118, ad 1)

According to SimplyCatholic.com: 

Greed: the desire for and love of possessions. “Sin … is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods” (No. 1849).

The literary trope is the miser and some of the most well-known misers are (link) Silas Marner, Ebenezar Scrooge, and Shylock.

BUT, greed isn’t always about miserliness. Sometimes it’s about the accumulation of wealth or power (link).

Read more on the blog

This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. So reading it might mean you don’t need our seven episodes but how about come along for the ride anyway?

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Wrath
7. Sloth

We’ve done these before (episodes 151-157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

This week’s focus is Lust. When we did this in Episode 155, I was writing novels with a good bit of sex in them. Weirdly, that hasn’t changed. In fact, the motivation of Lust is even more relevant to my vampires who are equally motivated by thirst.

Last time we started here:

What is lust? According to Wikipedia:

Lust is a psychological force producing intense desire for an object, or circumstance while already having a significant other or amount of the desired object.[1] Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality (see libido), money, or power. It can take such mundane forms as the lust for food (see gluttony) as distinct from the need for food. It is similar to but distinguished from passion, in that passion propels individuals to achieve benevolent goals whilst lust does not.

Going straight to the source, Christianity.com gives us this:

Lust is essentially to crave something, usually associated with worldly desires of sexual intent or material possessions. Lust has as its focus gratifying oneself, which often leads to toxic actions to fulfill one’s desires without consideration of the consequences. Lust springs forth from selfishness and greed.

Lust is considered a sin because it puts physical, human impulses above Godly or spiritual pursuits. Not unlike greed, lust is insatiable and similar to pride, is focused on the individual, not the betterment of family or community. 

Are there any benefits to lust?

Read more on the blog

We took last week off for the holiday weekend but we’re back this week to finish the Seven Deadly Sins series. Remember we did this one before, but it’s been a couple of years. This blog gives a quick summary of all seven sins and some examples of how to use them. 

The Seven Deadly Sins (this link) in Roman Catholic theology, are the seven vices that spur other sins and further immoral behavior. First enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and elaborated in the 13th century by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The sins are:

• Pride
• Greed
• Lust
• Envy
• Gluttony
• Wrath
• Sloth

Like I said, we’ve done these before (episodes 151-157), but it’s been a while and this time we’re going to sharpen the focus on the sins as potential stakes-raising behaviors.

This week’s focus is Gluttony. What do we know about gluttony? Let’s ask AI.

Gluttony is often associated with overeating, but it can also refer to overconsumption, such as drinking too much or bingeing on Netflix. A gluttonous character may prioritize their own pleasure and satisfaction over their health or responsibilities, and may struggle with self-control and moderation. A primary goal for the gluttonous is comfort, and they may seek an overabundance of any item that's pleasurable to achieve constant pampering. 

Some examples of gluttony in literature include:

• Beauty and the Beast: Gaston eats five dozen eggs every morning
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: The mayor, Bruce Campbell, keeps getting fatter as he gets more corrupt
• Jabba the Hut from Star Wars
• Falstaff from Henry V

Read more on the blog

We once did an episode on the character’s core wound and what’s occurred to me lately in my reading is that the core wound makes a really good secret. Something the character isn’t willing to admit to himself.

Charlie started watching Ted Lasso and in a recent episode he told his wife she didn’t need to keep trying to be happy with him. He let her go. I think the secret he was keeping – and something that made him a really compelling character – is that he knew he couldn’t optimism his way out of that situation. He couldn’t believe his way through it. His core value – the power of positive thinking – doesn’t always work.

So, today’s topic: What secrets are your characters keeping? Which ones are really dangerous? Which ones aren’t?

Let’s start with why your character should be hiding something. This article suggests secrets can add tension to the story, can give your characters a chance to grow, and add depth and complexity to the story. 

Where does the depth and complexity come from? The secret should be connected to the character’s goal. The depth comes in secondary and third-layer reasons for what they’re trying to do. Does the secret make it harder to achieve the goal? It can also add complexity to the mission if the secret affects the character in a certain way – does thinking of it make them sick? Make them sad?

When will the character come clean? Choosing the time to reveal the secret is critical. It should be a choice the character has to make – revealing the secret will move the plot in a specific direction. 

Read more on the blog

We’ve seen non-linear storytelling sometimes without knowing it. This article does a great job explaining what linear stories are:

In a linear narrative structure, the viewer finds it facile to comprehend the way the narrative is moving. This is mostly because the viewer is naturally fed with all the information required to process whatever is happening on screen.

And then explaining what non-linear stories do:

However in a non-linear narrative structure, the viewer has to use his head in order to connect the dots. Non linear narrative structures are usually adopted to build suspense, to create tension or generally to create a sense of mystery within the spectator. The most crucial aspect of a non-linear narrative structure is that the narrative does not adhere to the norms of a generalized method of storytelling. In other words, in a non-linear narrative structure, there is no hard and fast rule to strictly follow a chronology.

Some types of non-linear narratives:

• Analepsis or a flashback – used to establish critical backstory, probably only used once or twice.
• Zigzag – alternating between two different timelines, often for the compare/contrast (like The Godfather II) and sometimes to provide answers in one narrative with the exposition of another (like in Memento)
• Prolepsis – or a flash forward, showing things that will happen in the future
• Syllepsis – or grouping multiple characters or stories to tell parallel stories that eventually interconnect (think Love Actually) or have some adjacent ideas or characters
• Retrograde – chronological storytelling in reverse chronological order – Mulholland Drive is an example, as is one story of The Last Five Years
• Achrony – disconnected, disjointed, disorganized (like Inception) with no real connection between the order in which events occur and the order in which they’re told
• Chronicle – events occur simultaneously but are told in no specific order (like Pulp Fiction) popular in disaster movies

Read more on the blog