Character Voice - Hear them before you write
Each principal character in your novel or short story should be unique, and this distinctiveness is more than how they look. Every...
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LV Ditchkus
- May 17
- 2 min
Plot holes – what are they, and how to find them
When there’s inconsistency in your story OR individuals act out of character, you’ve got a plot hole that needs to be fixed. Here’s a few...
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LV Ditchkus
- Jan 6
- 2 min
Breaks: Help or Hindrance?
Some authors write every day. Others (like me) write a minimum number of hours per week. When I look back at my logged hours, I see very...
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LV Ditchkus
- Sep 23, 2021
- 2 min
How to judge a book by its cover
So you’ve finished writing the best book on the planet. Now it’s time to design a cover that potential readers can’t resist. Besides the...
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LV Ditchkus
- Aug 24, 2021
- 3 min
Exceptional novel versus a great one - how to pick the best?
As a judge for the upcoming Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC), my team and I will be reviewing about 60 books (out of...
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LV Ditchkus
- May 3, 2021
- 1 min
Gardening and writing
For those who love to plant flowers in the spring, there is nothing like cleaning out the beds and putting new plants into the soil. The...
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LV Ditchkus
- Mar 18, 2021
- 2 min
Some middles have no problems
In our 40s, some people have a mid-life crisis and dwell on lost youth to the detriment of enjoying their remaining years. Those who...
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LV Ditchkus
- Jan 24, 2021
- 3 min
Writing one piece at a time for a series
Many authors work for years on a novel they never finish. To them, the idea of writing a book series might seem unfathomable. But if...
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LV Ditchkus
- Dec 16, 2020
- 1 min
Fugitive Ideas – Don’t let them get away
Ask any writer what one of their greatest frustrations are, and they will have a long list. However, that list will most likely...
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LV Ditchkus
- Oct 24, 2020
- 2 min
Letting your baby rest
Did you know wild elephants average just 2 hours of sleep a night? Thankfully, humans typically get more sleep than that. But suffice it...
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LV Ditchkus
- Sep 1, 2020
- 1 min
Critique Groups – Do you need to join one?
Assume you’ve written the perfect novel, and you’d like to start looking for an agent or consider self-publishing. How do you know your...
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LV Ditchkus
- Jul 28, 2020
- 2 min
Why contribute to an anthology?
First off, what is an anthology? An anthology is a published collection of short stories or poems. It can be written by different authors...
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LV Ditchkus
- Jun 24, 2020
- 2 min
Is writing a novel in a month for everyone?
If you’ve never heard of NaNoWriMo (https://nanowrimo.org), you might be amazed or in awe of what it does. This organization supports the...
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LV Ditchkus
- May 5, 2020
- 1 min
Is Bigfoot the next big thing?
Check out the Speculative Fiction Writers Group post from L.V. Ditchkus: https://specficwriters.com/is-sasquatch-the-next-big-thing/
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LV Ditchkus
- Mar 14, 2020
- 2 min
How to approach self-editing
As a new writer, I loved developing the first draft. My creative juices flowed, and new ideas gave me goosebumps. The editing process...
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LV Ditchkus
- Feb 3, 2020
- 1 min
What makes a good book?
Everyone has ideas about what they are looking for in a good book. Here’s what I want: 1) Characters who are believable and make me want...
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LV Ditchkus
- Nov 17, 2019
- 2 min
Short Stories versus the Novel
Of course, the primary point is that size matters. While there are a variety of views on how many words are in each, in my opinion, short...
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LV Ditchkus
- Oct 17, 2019
- 2 min
Traditional versus self-publishing journey
The decision an aspiring author makes when choosing between the traditional and self-publishing routes can be a game-changer – both for...
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LV Ditchkus
- Aug 17, 2019
- 3 min
The Pitch
In a couple of weeks, I will attend a major writers’ conference. So it’s time to tune-up my pitch (aka logline). I’ve been reading the...
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LV Ditchkus
- Jul 12, 2019
- 2 min
Who are ‘your people’?
Some view writing as a solo journey, but many, including myself, rely on others to help improve their craft and learn about what’s...
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