Archives:

Tip#1: Begin at the beginning

Tip #2: See the whole

Tip #3: Learn to walk before you run

Tip #4: Read, read, read!

Tip #5: Never take advice from blowhard authors with personal websites

What do I mean by this? It’s the difference between a pot boiler and a classic. It’s what separates the run-of-the-mill from the masterpiece. It’s the difference between THE FIRM and THE HEART OF DARKNESS. There’s nothing wrong with Grisham...but once you scratch the surface of Grisham there’s nothing else there.

Resonance, in the literary sense, is a deeper meaning, a meaning beyond the superficial (literal) meaning of the story. In other words, THE EXORCIST is not only about casting out demons. It’s also about the horror of puberty, the oppression of the Patriarchy, and lots more.

But how do you come up with something that resonates? Simple: Be personal. Write a story that pushes YOUR buttons. That’s the only way. In other words, from the specific comes the universal.