Category Archives: The Craft of Writing Fiction

Articles on various aspects of the art of writing.

The Five Senses and Character Development

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Blair McDowell

There are many things to keep in mind as we create our characters and move them through their stories. I believe that one of the most important of these is that to breathe life, they must do so through all … Continue reading →

Posted in Delighting in Your Company, Sonata, The Craft of Writing Fiction, The Memory of Roses | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Show Don’t Tell

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Blair McDowell

Who among us has not seen those dreaded words in the margin of a manuscript? It sounds so easy. “Show, don’t tell. ” Those of us who are, shall we say, of more mature years, are programmed to tell. Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Abigail's Christmas, Books of Blair McDowell, Delighting in Your Company, The Craft of Writing Fiction, The Memory of Roses | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Plotting

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Blair McDowell

“A novel, play, or any type of writing, really is a crisis from beginning to end, growing to its necessary conclusion.” Lajos Egri, The Art of Dramatic Writing, 1946. The playwright Lajos Egri wrote this classic book on the … Continue reading →

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The “O” Word and Character Portrayal

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Blair McDowell

Two recent experiences have made me consider yet again the subject of character development and portrayal. I’ve been reading a series of books by the late Michael Dibdin in which the central character is a detective named Aureleo Zen. In … Continue reading →

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On Voice - Creating Unique Voices for Your Fictional Characters

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Blair McDowell

When I wrote the first draft of my first novel a few years ago, I submitted it immediately to Kensington Books. Talk about hutzpah! John Scognamiglio, the Editor-in Chief, was far kinder than I had any right to expect in … Continue reading →

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I Don’t Follow Umbrellas

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Blair McDowell

I travel abroad every year. My favourite destinations are Greece and Italy, the settings I used for my novel, The Memory of Roses, to be released on October 3rd by Rebel Ink Press. Whenever I’m in some popular tourist destination, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books of Blair McDowell, Humour, The Craft of Writing Fiction, The Memory of Roses, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Influence of Place on Plot

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Blair McDowell

If you enjoyed Under the Tuscan Sun, and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, you will probably agree with me that the locale was vital to both of these stories. The first could only have been successfully placed in Italy, and the second … Continue reading →

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Which comes first, setting, characters or plot?

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Blair McDowell

Without question, for me it is setting. When I find myself in an intriguing or particularly beautiful or historic place, somehow characters suggest themselves. And once they have, the story unfolds, often very completely, in my mind. In a sense, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The Craft of Writing Fiction | Tagged , , | 7 Comments