I love a good villain. He does so much for a story. He gives the reader someone to hate, which engenders emotional involvement, commitment ...

Mike Nichols was a master storyteller, one of the best that ever lived, in my opinion. I saw him in an interview once where he was asked to ...

Tell strong stories. That's what every writer longs to do. What are strong stories anyway? To conquer an audience and make it your ow...

My Holiday Gift for You is an Alice Orr How-To! Write in the first person, using "I." Answer as your character. Speak with her voi...

The major misconception about story ideas has to do with what they can and cannot accomplish. Let me illustrate with a cocktail party – or f...

Mike Nichols was a master storyteller, one of the best that ever lived, in my opinion. I saw him in an interview once where he was asked to ...

Every Now and Then the Idea Well Runs Dry . That's what it can feel like anyway. And it is likely to give a writer what, where I come fr...

I'm writing this on a difficult day. I am surrounded by pressure, stress, and expectations – the first phalanx of the Enemies of Creativ...

Thriller author and former editor Alice Orr shares tips for writing heroes. Building a Hero with Stature – What Not to Do If your  story...

Time to buff up your Writer Imagination Muscles An editor and author provides advice on th eessential storytelling question. Would y...

It Takes Two to Tangle, in real life and in storytelling . But, whether a fictional connection is romantic or not, the other person in y...

How to Write the Ending that Satisfies How do I make my story ending sell my book? Good question, just not the right question. Why not...