by Jacque | Sep 30, 2024 | Powerful Stories, Self-Editing, strong connection, Uncategorized
It’s your dream to write a book that makes people feel something when they read your words and get to know your characters. But how do you ensure the reader feels what you want them to feel? And where do you start?? By managing reader expectations. What are reader...
by Jacque | Jan 30, 2023 | Conflict, five requirements, Powerful Stories, Structure, Uncategorized
For years now, I’ve preached about The Five Requirements of Story. It’s been a pillar I’ve stood on and has driven everything from the way I edit and coach, to my personal writing and marketing. As much as I’ve had faith in these requirements, there has always been a...
by Jacque | Jun 8, 2022 | Character, Powerful Stories, Show, strong connection, Uncategorized
Ever heard of the grief cycle? Most of us have, and all of us have experienced it. According to Kubler-Ross, there are five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Formerly, the thought was that we cycle through these feelings one after the...
by Jacque | Feb 8, 2022 | Character, Powerful Stories, Uncategorized
When you scroll through Pinterest or Instagram looking for ways to strengthen your characters, you may run into this common piece of advice: Give your character a quirk. According to dictionary.com, a quirk is a “peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality.” A...
by Jacque | Oct 13, 2021 | Essential Scenes, five requirements, Powerful Stories, Self-Editing, Structure, Uncategorized
Mystery or Romance? Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Literary or Non-sense? The single most important question asked is, “What’s my genre?” This can be a confusing topic for most contemporary writers. Your story is set in the future, contains a murder, and the protagonist gets...
by Jacque | Feb 10, 2021 | Character, Powerful Stories, Structure, Uncategorized
“I want to hook my readers from the first sentence.” That’s something I hear A LOT, especially from new writers. It makes sense: readers want something to draw them into the story, and you want to deliver. But let me ask you this…what is the first line of the book...
