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The Writer's Compass » The Story Map

New Review of The Writer’s Compass

Thank you to “A Wandering Mind” for taking time to explore The Writer’s Compass and post about it on your blog.  https://awanderingminddotme.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/the-writers-compass-a-review-part-1/ … Read entire article »

Filed under: Becoming A Writer, The Story Map, About Writing

More on Story Mapping and the 7 Stages

You Know That Hole in Your Story? You Don’t? Here’s How to Find It Using a story map is a great tool for figuring out where the holes are in your story and then developing ideas for filling in those gaps. Morgen Bailey has added a guest blog post I wrote on story mapping and the 7 stages at is http://wp.me/p18Ztn-2bs. … Read entire article »

Filed under: The Story Map, The 7 Stage Process

The Writer’s Compass Video Presentation

September 15, 2011, my 45-minute lecture at the Pepperdine Payson Library was videotaped and can be accessed for free here. http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/nancy-dodd-the-writers-compass/id499064657 … Read entire article »

Filed under: FREEBIES & PURCHASE, Becoming A Writer, The Story Map, The 7 Stage Process, About Writing

Article in Writers Digest

Article in Writers Digest

Be sure to check out my article, “Put Your Novel On The Map,” in the Writers Digest magazine January 2012 issue. The article has an interesting graphic representing a structure map and access to a free map Writers Digest created as a giveaway. … Read entire article »

Filed under: The Story Map, About Writing, Writer's Digest

The Rats Ate My Posts – Ending with a Hook

The Rats Ate My Posts – Ending with a Hook

I apologize for not updating in so long. Last May our lives started going haywire, not the least of which was a rat falling through the open window screen in my bedroom onto my head as I slept in the dark of early morning. Yeah, everyone has that reaction. I woke up feeling like I was in a Stephen King novel. Let me just say, it got worse from there. My friends call the events … Read entire article »

Filed under: The Story Map, About Writing, Writing Exercises

Mapping the Elements of Good Storytelling

Mapping the Elements of Good Storytelling

If you have read books on writing or attended very many lectures, you have probably learned a few writing rules, along with several different terms for describing the elements of good storytelling. As I note on page 12 in the book, I have only two rules for writing: 1) Never allow anyone to convince you to cut something from your story that your gut tells you belongs—at least until you know why you wrote it … Read entire article »

Filed under: The Story Map, Featured