Category Archives: Plotting

Monday Advice from Editors and Agents: A Pleasure Principle

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Donna Maloy, Author

Mashable is a global, multi-platform online media and entertainment “magazine” with tech, digital culture and entertainment content. If you have unlimited time to browse its ginormous daily content, you’ll find articles on everything from new gadgets to Hollywood scandals to … Continue reading →

Posted in Action, Advice, Aha! moments, Character, Conflict, Craft of Writing, Editing, High Stakes, Opening scene, Openings, Plotting, Resolutions, Stakes, Story Elements, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Monday Advice from Editors and Agents: Motivate Your Characters’ Decisions

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Donna Maloy, Author

Today’s (one day late) advice comes from agent Peter Knapp of New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. Peter will be part of the faculty at the Pacific Coast Children’s Writers Novel Workshop and Retreat, September 23-25, 2016 in Santa Cruz, CA. (Note: there will … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding coincidence, Backstory, Backstory, Character-driven action, Character-driven action, Characters, Conflict, Contrived Plots, Craft of Writing, Editing, Foreshadowing, Mistakes and Consequences, Motivation, Pacific Coast Writers, Plotting, Resolutions, Revising, Stakes, Story Elements, Teaching Writing, Teen Authors, Teen writers, Teen writers, Workshops, Writers Conference, Writing, Young adults | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Teen Tuesday: What Teens Hate to See in YA Books

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Donna Maloy, Author

Recently, The Writer’s Dig (a blog hosted by Writer’s Digest) published a guest post by teenage writer Jamie S. Margolin. Margolin has written articles for Teen Ink. One of her articles earned her an Editors Choice award and was voted #1 by readers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Action, Advice, Character, Characters, Conflict, Contrived Plots, Craft of Writing, Plotting, Stakes, Story Elements, Teen Authors, Teen Authors, Teen writers, Teen writers, Teens teaching teens, Tips for Teen Writers, Writing, Young Adult books, Young adults | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Monday Advice from Agents and Editors: Face the Consequences

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Donna Maloy, Author

If I haven’t said it before, one of my all-time favorite blogs to follow is Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating. She covers the world of writers with in-depth author, agent and publisher interviews. Her interviews with artists actually feature step-by-step … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Slater, Avoiding coincidence, Character-driven action, Characters, Conflict, Contrived Plots, High Stakes, Mistakes and Consequences, Plotting, Resolutions, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

How to Build a Coming of Age Arc

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Donna Maloy, Author

Some of the most famous books ever written have been about finding oneself while on the journey to adulthood. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Giver by Lois Lowry A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith Lord … Continue reading →

Posted in Character arcs, Coming of Age stories, Coming of Age stories, Genre elements, Genre recipes, Interior life; interiority, Plotting, Young adults | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment