Recent content by K.S. Crooks

Some things to consider: Are they a team or random individuals who happen to be together? in either case, when are the characters together? How many of them at a time and for how long? Are their goals the same? Are the consequences of failure equal?

For me it all depends on how far in the future is the vision looking at. The sooner the event, the sooner the character needs to know about it. It may even turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. For me it also feels a bit much to have a character have a dream, about someone else's vision about...

I sometimes set a goal for a chapter. The characters have to get somewhere or learn or do something. Once this is accomplished I create a new chapter.

Give them all a cell phone and force them to go on instagram in their off hours. I find this can keep anyone in a zombie-like state.

Start with the end result- which dragon wins and what is the damage taken. Then work your way backwards, thinking about the order of each wound and how they came about for each dragon. If your dragons speak then add appropriate dialogue. Finally, consider all the damage to the surroundings...

Travelling at night often requires a light source to be used. This may cause the travelers to stand out as the only light in the darkness. Also if they travel using animals, like horses, having adequate moon light is key.

The movie Spaceballs also has Princess Vespa.

Have some of the characters talk about the most important consequences of decisions or actions that took place in the first book. They can talk about how things have changed and their feelings regarding their new situation,

How much of the story is away from your main character can help determine which perspective fits you best. Having many inner thoughts expressed would lend to using first person. If you have two or three main characters you can switch between each of their first-person perspectives. Have a...

Often places are grouped based on the needs of people. butchers, bakers, produce, general stores tend to be in the same area to allow people to shop with minimal travel. Taverns, brothels, and hotels tend to be together. Police stations and jails can be used to separate the two sections. Any...

Muscle cramping in the foot, compression in knees and spine. This will cause muscles in those areas to tighten leading to discomfort or pain in those areas. Mental fatigue, confusion, delusions. They will engage in micro sleeps despite their, or anyone's, efforts to stay awake. Eventually they...

I keep the mindset of I write for myself. I try to make a story I would enjoy reading if I found it on a shelf somewhere. If others also like the story all the better, but it's not my main goal. For writer's block I go back to my outline. I give each chapter a plot development. If I'm stuck in...

When I create characters I like to give each a specific quality that a reader would use as the first word to describe them such as brave, intelligent, selfish, angry. I think of it as what type of person are they when under great stress.

Some options: have a double space between text when changing pov, use a different type of text for each person regardless of if they are in the same chapter or not, use a different colour of text for each character

It's not that they're safer, it's that there's no goal ahead of them. When something happens naturally there is no predetermined goal. No concept of something being wanted or not, safe or not. When a mind thinks of a change they have a preferred goal, an acceptable level of success or loss. It's...