One of my favorite parts of being the editorial director at Castle Gate Press is the sense of hope that fills me every time I open an e-mail with a submission. Each one brings the possibility of a great story, memorable characters, and plot twists I won’t see coming. I almost hold my breath as I […]
Lessons from the Slush Pile
Although good news rarely comes from the slush pile, we can find many lessons about the craft of writing buried within it. One of our goals here at Castle Gate Press is to encourage new authors, so even though we can’t send personalized feedback to everyone who submits to us, I would like to share […]
Showing, not telling, character emotions
Some writers seem to have no trouble conveying the emotions of their characters. But it’s hard to do. We’re tempted to just out-and-out tell our reader what the character is feeling. “Fear strangled her.” “Love poured through her.” And so on. What’s wrong with that? Here’s what’s wrong: The reader feels held at a distance. […]
Writers: how to show thoughts
We writers keep hearing “show, don’t tell” a lot. So, how do we apply that to showing thoughts? Readers want a cinematic experience where they experience what’s happening right alongside the character, drawing the reader in so well that he or she can’t put the book down. The writers’ jargon for this is “deep POV,” […]