What makes a character scary? Why does the circling shark make the men onboard the Orca tremble? Why does the hound …
Strikes Other Than Punches or Kicks
In fighting, a strike is a direct, percussive blow delivered with any part of the body. Punches and kicks are both …
Writing Advice that Gave Me Goosebumps
This past year I had the pleasure of teaching at some wonderful conferences, to include Writer Digest’s. I absolutely …
Broken Noses
I recently posted on the Writer's Digest Blog about broken noses and how they can be used in our work. I mentioned …
Carrying the Sword on the Back
In the last post, we looked at writing characters who wield two swords. At the end of the post, I wrote that if your …
Using Two Swords
I’ve just returned from the Writer’s Digest Conference and what a conference it was. There were great speakers, …
Fight Write, Round Two Index
In the process of formatting Fight Write, Round Two, some pages shifted automatically. As a result, some page numbers in …
Criminal Sketch Art
If your character has witnessed or been a victim of a crime, you might write them meeting with a criminal sketch artist. …
The Truth About the Polygraph Test
A character is murdered. All fingers point toward the hero who, in an effort to prove their innocence, quickly submits …
Psychopath/Sociopath – Organized/Disorganized
If you are trying to decide whether the killer in your manuscript is a psychopath or sociopath, this post will make your …
What Bullets Do to the Body & More
We all know that bullets do damage to a body. But do you really know why? Sure, the bullet makes a hole. But that hole …
Universal Facial Expressions
When it comes to communication, what is said actually says the least. As much as 65% of communication is unspoken[i]. It …