top of page

Search


What’s point-of-view (POV)?
Point of View or (POV) is the perspective from which a story is observed or narrated. How an author shapes the POV can influence the...
LV Ditchkus
23 minutes ago2 min read
6 views
0 comments


Goals
For me, it was easy to start writing novels without considering where writing fits into my life. I loved to write and felt I had stories...
LV Ditchkus
Mar 13 min read
9 views
0 comments


Why Should Writers Read?
Lately, I’ve been reading recently published books in the sci-fi and fantasy genres (e.g., Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway published in...
LV Ditchkus
Feb 62 min read
10 views
0 comments


Finding Your Comedic Voice
While most of my novels and short stories contain elements that (I’ve heard) can elicit a smile or an occasional audible guffaw, I’ve...
LV Ditchkus
Jan 212 min read
14 views
0 comments


Are any story ideas new?
My jaw dropped when someone told me Lion King is based on Hamlet. Then I considered the storylines: Both are about an heir apparent who...
LV Ditchkus
Dec 21, 20242 min read
15 views
0 comments


"No" is not the final word
Maybe it’s our upbringing that makes the word No sound so final. About when we hit two years old, we started saying that word to our...
LV Ditchkus
Nov 2, 20242 min read
29 views
0 comments


Get all you can from a conference. You paid for it—in money and time
It’s okay to show up at a conference like a blank slate and drink it all in, but that’s not how I approach it. If I paid to attend, I...
LV Ditchkus
Oct 1, 20242 min read
19 views
0 comments


Words of Wisdom from a Hero
A few months ago, I attended the Mountain Words Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado—a stunning mountain town with a world-class ski area...
LV Ditchkus
Sep 4, 20242 min read
18 views
0 comments


“Not In My Profession” (NIMP) is the new NIMBY
While at this year’s RMFW conference in Denver, I picked up loads of writing craft tips, re-wrote the logline for the second book in my...
LV Ditchkus
Sep 30, 20233 min read
26 views
0 comments


Have you milked a cow?
Don’t let opportunities escape—no matter how mundane or seemingly inane. We've just returned from a trip to visit dear friends in Ottawa,...
LV Ditchkus
Jun 26, 20232 min read
23 views
0 comments


Who should tell your story?
The storyteller’s point of view (POV) creates a bond between your readers and the story. As an author, you should consider whether that...
LV Ditchkus
Jan 13, 20232 min read
22 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Sep 5, 20222 min read
19 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
May 17, 20222 min read
20 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Jan 6, 20222 min read
23 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Sep 23, 20212 min read
27 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Aug 24, 20213 min read
59 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
May 3, 20211 min read
14 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Mar 18, 20212 min read
20 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Jan 24, 20213 min read
28 views
0 comments


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...
LV Ditchkus
Dec 16, 20201 min read
15 views
0 comments
bottom of page