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OH, MY EARS (AND GENRE EXPECTATIONS)!
On Saturday, I decided to make some additions to my Christmas-music library. As I browsed, I saw a listing for this song, a version of...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 14, 20202 min read
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THE BABY BEAR OF PERSUASION
Recently, my friend shared an article on Facebook about a group of people who resist the counsel to wear masks, even when it comes from...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 11, 20202 min read
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SKILL IS (OFTEN) INVISIBLE
Yesterday, one of my LinkedIn contacts shared this picture: As much as I love actual Christmas trees, I love this idea, too. It's amazing...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Dec 3, 20202 min read
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SPEAKING OF HOLIDAY DISASTERS ...
I suppose I asked for this one with all my stories about holiday disasters last week. On Thanksgiving, my roommates and I put everything...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 30, 20202 min read
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WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
How I probably looked under my mask I think we've all heard horror (?) stories of crazy things people have seen and overheard at Walmart....
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 24, 20202 min read
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WATCH OUT FOR THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Seven-ish years ago, I worked for my church helping proofread the latest edition of our scriptures for publication. It was the first time...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 23, 20202 min read
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14 CLICHÉ-BUSTING FANTASY NOVELS AND SERIES
After all our exploration of fantasy this week, you might reasonably ask, "Well, are there any fantasy writers who break the stereotypes...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 20, 20201 min read
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6 RESOURCES FOR FRESH FANTASY CREATURES
A lot of our stereotypical fantasy races/creatures come from European mythology and folklore, particularly Greek, English, and Norse:...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 19, 20201 min read
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8 THINGS FANTASY WRITERS NEED TO QUIT DOING. RIGHT NOW.
Years ago, I started noticing an alarming trend in fantasy. As one of my English professors commented when we were discussing it: "It's...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 16, 20204 min read
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LESS THAN 48 HOURS LEFT!
Remember this? But I'm realizing that even two graphics don't have enough room to explain all the ways this course benefits you: Gain the...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 12, 20201 min read
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THE ONLY 3 THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER IN CHARACTER NAMES
Today's post is partly inspired by one of my favorite Peanuts strips. I've silently (or not) echoed Lucy's thoughts more than once! There...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 9, 20201 min read
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FIND THE FUNNY
While trawling Facebook today, I came across this apt comment: 😂 Now I have to wonder who on earth would accept ballots as stakes. . . ....
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 6, 20201 min read
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COURSE LAUNCH: MANUSCRIPT-CRITIQUE CERTIFICATION COURSE
This is becoming a launch week. While you're waiting for Indie Writing Wisdom (available December 1, links to come), check out my...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 5, 20201 min read
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PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: "KNOT" A PROBLEM
Over the last three days, I've had three different people ask me to teach them how to crochet: My roommate "S" "S's" friend "A" My sister...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 3, 20203 min read
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COVER REVEAL: INDIE WRITING WISDOM
I've been waiting to make this announcement until I got the go-ahead from the lead author. Introducing . . . If you can't tell, that's my...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Nov 2, 20201 min read
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OPINIONS =/= VALUES (AND WHY THAT MATTERS)
The other day, one of my connections posted this on LinkedIn: It got me thinking, and this is the response I wrote: "Wise man. Sometimes...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 30, 20202 min read
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TRY THIS UNDERUSED TACTIC FOR HUMOR
Much to the chagrin of those who like to gripe about "the good old days," language changes. All the time. Sometimes that can be a pain,...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 29, 20202 min read
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WHAT WRITERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PTSD
As writers, we put our characters through the wringer. Sometimes it happens "onscreen"; other times, it happens long before the book...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 27, 20204 min read
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WHAT IS LOVE? PART 2
Pinterest, I'm finding, is one of the most versatile and useful writing tools we authors have at our disposal. I'm not talking about just...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 26, 20205 min read
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THAT'S CHEATING! (OR IS IT?)
Recently, I re-stumbled across one of my favorite Pinterest posts (pardon the bad spelling, etc.): 🤣 This is an excellent example of...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Oct 22, 20203 min read
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