Nicholas C. Rossis

dream-protecting author

The Names of All Manner of Hounds

Jan 9, 2023 | Writing

There are name generators aplenty when it comes to characters. What about their dogs, though? Have you ever been stuck looking for an authentic-sounding name for your medieval or fantasy hero’s four-legged best friend? Thanks to My Modern Met, you now have the...

Where Can I Get an Idea for a Book?

Dec 11, 2022 | Writing

5 sources of inspiration for a writer The 21st century is the age of the web, where people write for their blogs, and social networks. Fortunately, books have not disappeared! You need a flash of inspiration to create something truly worthwhile. Of course, inspiration...

Using a Cloak as a Shield

Oct 30, 2022 | Quora, Writing

What would happen if you tried to use a cloak to block a sword? Eric Lowe (and here) has two illuminating answers to this question – both opening up many possibilities in fiction writing. It’s not a shield Before going into any details, the first thing to...

The Master List of Fictional Characters

Sep 6, 2022 | Writing

I recently shared some common (and less common) types of short stories. Like you, I was surprised there were so many. How about a list of characters regularly found in fiction? Surely the list would be relatively short, right? Well… no. Ken Miyamoto shared no...

10 Types of Short Stories to Enhance Your Writing Prowess

Sep 1, 2022 | Writing

As you may know, short stories are how I started writing and I still love them dearly. The short story, however, is not a single literary format but multiple ones grouped under a single banner. This gives short story writers a multitude of structures to use to tell...

Tips for Effective Research On Your Novel

Aug 26, 2022 | Writing

I haven’t written in a while, mostly due to the surprisingly (for August) high demands of my copywriting job. I’m now back with some thoughts on research. Whether for copywriting or novel writing, research is a big part of our work. And while writers today...

Why Picture Books Are So Important For Children

May 10, 2022 | My Publications, Writing

I have been quietly working on a pet project, a picture book for toddlers, in collaboration with the very talented Thanasis Psarros. Here is a sneak preview: My experience with the wee one has shown me just how essential picture books are for young readers. They are...

Looking in the Mirror

Feb 16, 2022 | Writing

I came across a great thread on Facebook the other day and it got me thinking. A (male) writer was asking the following question: I have a female character looking at herself in the mirror. First naked then in a white nightdress which shows her figure. She is a very...

Beware Misguided Writing Advice

Feb 7, 2022 | Writing

Author Anne R. Allen published yesterday a great post titled, 10 Dangerous Critiques: Beware Misguided Writing Advice. In it, she explains how trying to please everybody who beta-reads or critiques your WIP can turn a novel into a kind of jackalope of unrelated parts....

Talking Without Words

Jan 29, 2022 | Writing

No, I’m not talking about non-verbal communication, i.e. shrugs, facial expressions, etc. I’m talking about emojis and, specifically, a new form of communication: “fake typing.” As Mike Elgan explains in his newsletter (which I highly recommend to anyone...