Sometimes it seems like no matter how well I plan, things change. These last few months have been that way. With new responsibilities at my day job eating at my free time, I’ve had to work to get things back under control. It’s not just my day job. I have also been reworking the outlineContinue reading “When Characters Surprise You”
Tag Archives: goals
Writing Consistently When Things Get Busy
This last week, I’ve been quite busy in my day job and it has compressed the time I usually spend writing. My latest story is not coming along as fast as others, but it is coming along better. I’ve really taken time to understand and develop my characters. I think by taking a little moreContinue reading “Writing Consistently When Things Get Busy”
Story Settings Influence Characters
I’m still working on my next book and allowing myself to take some time to fully develop it. In my previous books, I had good settings, but I’m starting to see ways that I could make them even better. In this next book, I’m trying to take a little more time to fully develop myContinue reading “Story Settings Influence Characters”
Plugging Plot Holes
As I work on my next book, which is coming along slower due to the time constraints of my day job, I find myself noticing more about my story. Rather than writing it at a fast pace, in those moments when all I can do is think about it, I have noticed a few holes.Continue reading “Plugging Plot Holes”
Making a Story Good
I’ve been working on making my stories better. I’ve been writing the third book in my time travel series that began with Resonance and Dissonance. The thing I’ve found with good stories is that they deal with characters. I’ve been surprised by the amount of pages read on my books this month through Amazon Kindle.Continue reading “Making a Story Good”
We All Need Good Stories
In any good story, the protagonist faces tough challenges. The tougher the challenges are, the more we feel for the character. That poor protagonist will lose most everything, or at least have that threat hanging over him. Of course, just like in life, the protagonist can’t resolve the issue on the first try. It willContinue reading “We All Need Good Stories”
We Find What We Look For
The world is a busy place. The news seems full of negative stories. When I go to work, I’m surrounded by the stress of my day job. Lately, it seems so much is happening that it’s hard to see the good things. Is it possible that my approach to the day has blinded me toContinue reading “We Find What We Look For”
How is the Story Progressing?
As I sit down to write this, I thought the title might refer to two things. First, I am working on my next book, trying to have it ready for January or earlier. Second, I was thinking about the challenges of my own life as if I were the protagonist of my own, unwritten story.Continue reading “How is the Story Progressing?”
Staying Calm Amid the Life’s Stress
This week I thought things would calm down a little with my day job. But that wasn’t the case. The workload actually increased. It seems every time we accomplish something, the higher ups decide we can do more quicker. That’s part of the reason I tend to focus on managing my stress in these posts.Continue reading “Staying Calm Amid the Life’s Stress”
Can You Imagine a Good Story Without Conflict?
Imagine a story where the main character’s life is never altered. It could be a story where they never struggle for success, or where the dangers are never close. Would it be worth reading? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never read, or finished reading, a story like that. I think any good storyContinue reading “Can You Imagine a Good Story Without Conflict?”
DANIEL R. BURKHARD 