Thursday, September 7, 2023

Writing a Werewolf Story by L. Diane Wolfe Guest Post #writing #writetip #author

Writing a Werewolf Story


There are hundreds if not thousands of ways to spin a werewolf story. From all out horror to romance, any narrative is possible.

Crafting a werewolf tale isn’t much different from creating any story. There are still the basics to cover.

Characters – I’m a firm believer that characters always come first. It’s easier to create a believable, interesting character and then drop him into any setting than vice versa. With a werewolf story, you have to consider the main characters, at least one of whom will be the wolf. What is their past, their personality, their goals? How did they become a wolf, what do they do in that form, what do they ultimately want?

Setting – Where is the story set? What is the time period, the location? Werewolf stories can be set in the present or the past. (Or even space if you like!) Think of the world you will create and how it affects those who are werewolves and how they will interact.

Plot – This is what moves the story forward. The plot needs to be a cause-and-effect of the characters’ actions. It can begin with an event out of their control, but the rest of the story needs to focus on what they do. Also consider the character arc and how the characters grow and change. Do they become more aggressive? Less? Do they overcome their wolfen challenges?

Conflict – This is what drives a story harder and faster. The stakes need to increase or there is no tension. Is the character trapped and trying to escape? Is he desperate to find a way to change his wolf form? Is he after a mate? And what comes in between him and his goals?

Theme – This is a story’s central idea and can be created during the earlier phases. Themes should be based on the human condition so readers can relate. It can be very simple or complex—redemption, revenge, taking control, etc.

POV – What point-of-view is best? First person single? Dual? Will third person be better? Which one will draw the reader in best? A werewolf POV will add some mystery and possibly unease.

Style – This final element is all on the writer. What is your unique voice? This is something that needs to be developed over time and there is no wrong style. It’s all about what makes you the writer shine brightest.

For more in-depth details on writing a werewolf story, visit these sites:

https://www.wattpad.com/545503243-a-z-of-werewolf-writing-the-perfect-plot

https://thewritersrepository.com/werewolf-story-ideas-and-prompts/

https://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com/character-writing-prompts-werewolves.html

Whether you decide to write a werewolf story or not, I hope I’ve given you a good template for getting started.


L. Diane Wolfe

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur
Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.spunkonastick.net - Spunk On A Stick
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com - Insecure Writer’s Support Group

In Darkness: The Werewolf by L. Diane Wolfe

In Darkness: The Werewolf


By L. Diane Wolfe



Souls shrouded in darkness…
On her own in England, Vicki trains at a prestigious fencing school. Face marred by a birthmark, she’s suspicious of Nicholas’ attention. A dinner date reveals his genuine interest and they begin to connect. Nicholas is attractive and she wonders why he’s so shy and reclusive.
Then one evening she happens upon him changing into a lycan. Every werewolf legend is shattered by the gentle, fearful creature before her. Vickie accepts his secret, but Nicholas knows he’s an unpredictable beast. Can they trust love enough to overcome their physical challenges?

Romance/Paranormal/Shifters, Romance/Paranormal, Fantasy/Paranormal
eBook ISBN 9781939844927 $3.99

Links:


Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRR4VLN7/
iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6445310855
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165994548
Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844927
Scribed - https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844927
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75711711-in-darkness



Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Twelve Year Anniversary of the #IWSG


12 years of #IWSG
Silk, pearls, and peony flower - symbols for the 12 anniversary

Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today: 

Me! J Lenni Dorner  https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com

Sonia Dogra  https://soniadogra.com 

Pat Garcia  http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com 

Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen  http://thefauxfountainpen.blogspot.com  

Meka James  https://authormekajames.wordpress.com




September 6 question -


The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?


I found the IWSG via Alex, thanks to the A to Z Challenge. The communities shared ties for a few years. I didn't really identify as "insecure" back then, so I didn't join at first. I really got into it when I took part in a contest.

IWSG in corn husk still on loom IWSG in corn husk IWSG in corn husk brighterIWSG in corn husk highlighted
cornSim @JLenniDorner


In 2017-- I made an IWSG logo by weaving corn husks on a makeshift loom. Ideally, I needed another element to keep the letters held in place. Weaving is not my strongest skill. (Yeah, I'm a Lenni-Lenape Native American, but I only studied weaving for about a year.) Despite this, it turned out that the IWSG really liked my hard work.
My spot on the list dropped down because, ha ha ha, I didn't realize the sign-up page refreshed with a new question every month. 🤦🏽‍♂️ Idiot. So I'd keep forgetting to post because I didn't plan the post ahead as I didn't know the prompt. (It is right there, on the sign-up page. OMG, I felt so dumb when I finally figured that out.)
My older posts are gone because the original blog host site I used shut down, and then I ditched my WordPress one. I have some images (as seen above) saved to Dropbox (and Flikr, plus there were many on PhotoBucket before they revoked my courtesy membership paid via another platform to which I was subscribed). I also made a Sim version of myself that year, so I've added it just to be fun.



Coming soon:

Darkness: The Werewolf on its virtual tour


Fantasy feature on Sept 7

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://www.spunkonastick.net - Spunk On A Stick
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com - Insecure Writer’s Support Group



A to Z Challenge Happening at the A to Z Challenge www.a-to-zchallenge.com
John is planning a post for Sept 8 about International Literacy Day. #LiteracyDay
"International Literacy Day will be celebrated worldwide under the theme, ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’." - https://www.unesco.org/en/days/literacy


Operation Awesome Happening at OperationAwesome6.blogspot.com
There's a post about #ReadABookDay for you to check out. Especially if you know any debut authors.



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