@karthmin
Active 4 months, 3 weeks ago-
Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 4 Lessons Christian Writers Can Glean from the Horror Genre 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Hey Andi!
It’s my hope that as more and more Christian writers simply set out to write impactful fiction that can change people’s lives, instead of trying to stick within the artificial constraints of a genre that exists for no other reason than marketing, that some of the issues you bring up in this comment will begin to lessen. There’s…[Read more]
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Hey Sarah! I’ve always felt that shy children get the short end of the stick in fiction. I suppose they don’t lend themselves very well to riveting action and things of the like, but maybe that’s just an expectation that we can change, eh?
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Why, thank you!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Absolutely! It was a fun idea to tackle.
You’re right – it’s so easy to just create an abstract idea of what people are (or should) be like, especially when we don’t have a close personal connection to their experience and point of view. It’s always a tremendous asset to look at the people right around us for inspiration on how to make our…[Read more]
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Martin Detwiler wrote a new post, 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters 5 months, 1 week ago
Imagine that, for twenty-four hours, you’re limited to the use of half your vocabulary, your awareness of interpersonal subtext dims, and all your skills and strengths revert back to level one. On top of that, y […]
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, A Simple Technique to Create Realistic Fictional Cultures 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Thank you, Abigail! Worldbuilding is also a weakness of mine, but in the other direction… once I get started, I can’t stop! And then I have to pare things down more and more until I get to the details that are relevant to the story.
So glad you found this helpful! May it be ever at the ready for quick deployment in you future endeavors.
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Martin Detwiler wrote a new post, A Simple Technique to Create Realistic Fictional Cultures 6 months ago
God designed humans as intricate beings, and a single culture encompasses thousands (if not millions) of individuals interacting with each other in hundreds of different combinations and relationships. Reflect on […]
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Thank you, Abigail! Worldbuilding is also a weakness of mine, but in the other direction… once I get started, I can’t stop! And then I have to pare things down more and more until I get to the details that are relevant to the story.
So glad you found this helpful! May it be ever at the ready for quick deployment in you future endeavors.
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, Character Goals Can Help You Craft Descriptions Readers Will Love 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Really love this advice! The real tricks of the trade right here.
Also, side note: It’s fascinating to hear this from someone who experiences stories so viscerally. My imagination is not very vivid, oddly enough. I tend to identify with the emotional states of characters much more strongly than I have ever experienced/identified with their…[Read more]
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, How to Explain Your Story's Premise without Getting Tongue-Tied 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Nice work! This might be the best summary of what a log line is, and how to make it, that I’ve seen in – well, long enough that I can’t remember a better one. XD
Also, your writing style is so robust. It’s a pleasure to read. Compliments to the chef!
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Martin Detwiler posted a new activity comment 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Thanks! I feel this so deeply. Every time I see a beautiful landscape I am baffled how I could possibly cram all that goodness into words. They feel so inadequate! But it helps to remember that our readers have a bank full of memories of the same beautiful things, and all we have to do is trigger those memories to bring the beauty into their minds. 🙂
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 2 Ways to Grow as an Author without Actually Writing 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you!
You’re absolutely right. Biblical meditation is about learning to align our mind with God’s. We have to still our own mental chatter to do this, but the goal is not to stay emptied, it is to be filled with the Spirit instead!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Mindsets for Surviving (and Thriving) at Your First Writer’s Conference 6 months, 3 weeks ago
I’m considering attending at least one writing conference in the upcoming year, so this is good stuff to be thinking about!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, How Boredom Can Make You a Better Writer 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Love this! I’ve found this true in the past, but feel like I’ve more recently lost the skill of cultivating silence. A great and timely reminder!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, Second Place Winner: Endbringer 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you, Jaydyn! It’s always such a reward to hear that something I’ve written is helping light the imagination!
Great question! The original idea for Endbringer came from an image prompt of a golden-yellow eye with the numbers of a clock around the iris. The eye looked tired and sad to me, and the image immediately seized my imagination.…[Read more]
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Martin Detwiler wrote a new post, 2 Ways to Grow as an Author without Actually Writing 7 months ago
When you sit at your desk and take up your pen, you’re centered on the act of being a storyteller. You bring to bear all the skill and experience you’ve accumulated. But what about the moments when you are […]
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 2 Ways Writers Can Portray God in Fiction (and Which Is Better) 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Hi Annabel!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I’m glad you enjoyed this article, and hope you find many more encouraging and helpful things on the Story Embers blog, both in the archives and in future articles!
Thanks again for your kind words,
Martin
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Kill Your Characters 12 months ago
I’m glad you enjoyed this article, Joshua! I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts about this! It’s a complex issue, and sometimes character death is the right choice for your story. It all depends on the story you’re trying to tell, and the consequences of that death for the rest of the cast. At the end of the day, it’s up to you…[Read more]
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Kill Your Characters 12 months ago
I’m glad you appreciated this, Michael!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Kill Your Characters 12 months ago
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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Martin Detwiler commented on the post, How to Authentically Write Religious Characters without Resorting to Stereotypes 12 months ago
Thank you for this comment, Brian!
Lots of good thoughts here. Thank you taking the time to share your thought processes and what you want to see in Christian fiction. Hopefully articles like this, in additional to everything else we do at Story Embers will help trigger the kind of storytelling that you’re looking for. And who knows, maybe it’s…[Read more]
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THIS IS BRILLIANT THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Why, thank you!
Absolutely! It was a fun idea to tackle.
You’re right – it’s so easy to just create an abstract idea of what people are (or should) be like, especially when we don’t have a close personal connection to their experience and point of view. It’s always a tremendous asset to look at the people right around us for inspiration on how to make our characters more relatable and unique.
Hey Sarah! I’ve always felt that shy children get the short end of the stick in fiction. I suppose they don’t lend themselves very well to riveting action and things of the like, but maybe that’s just an expectation that we can change, eh?