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ANOTHER WAY TO USE THE PEOPLE CODE
In yesterday's email, we talked about using the test in The People Code to get to know our main characters better. I've also found that...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Jun 2, 20202 min read
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WHAT COLORS ARE YOUR CHARACTERS?
I've mentioned The People Code in these posts before, but I don't think I've explained much about how we can use it to flesh out...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Jun 1, 20204 min read
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TRIGGER WARNINGS: YEA OR NAY?
It's funny how your opinions can change. A few years ago, I wholeheartedly believed that trigger warnings on content did more harm than...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 29, 20203 min read
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"SHOW ME A HERO, AND I'LL WRITE YOU A TRAGEDY"
The other day, I was listening to "No Good Deed" from the musical Wicked. Every time I hear it, it strikes me again that this is exactly...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 28, 20203 min read
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WHAT WRITERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LOWER-LEG INJURIES
Not my foot, but similar to what mine looked like after surgery In the writing world, I occasionally see articles such as "What Writers...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 26, 20206 min read
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NOT AGAIN!
Earlier today, I was updating the Google Doc that hosts my current Star Wars Roleplaying Game campaign. We're down to two active players...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 25, 20203 min read
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4 TIPS FOR BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Today is my sister and brother-in-law's fourth wedding anniversary. So naturally, relationships are on my mind today. Someone told me...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 21, 20202 min read
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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
Last night, I was listening to Cupid's "Cupid Shuffle," and it got me thinking about dances in general. I grew up in Iowa, and my church...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 15, 20202 min read
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REVERSE! REVERSE!
I had an interesting experience a few years ago that taught me a lot about writing for an audience that may be hostile to what you're...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 14, 20202 min read
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WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Last night, I was watching an episode of PBS's documentary series Secrets of the Dead called "The Hunt for Nazi Scientists." This episode...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 12, 20203 min read
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FAST IS OVERRATED
Last week was the third anniversary of my Lisfranc injury. For most people, a broken bone is a six-to-eight-week experience from injury...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 5, 20202 min read
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"YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR FIRST STEP INTO A LARGER WORLD"
Happy Star Wars Day! In honor of the occasion, I'm listening to the soundtracks in the background as I write this email. 🔦 (Apparently...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 4, 20203 min read
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TOO EASY?
Happy May Day! However, please don't celebrate it by getting yourself into a mayday situation. 😉 Speaking of mayday situations, I did...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
May 1, 20202 min read
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ENGLISH VS. ENGLISH-MAJOR-ESE
A common reaction when someone slips into English-major-ese One of my favorite college professors essentially introduced herself on the...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 30, 20202 min read
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"MAWWIAGE!" (AND OTHER VERBAL DIFFICULTIES)
My professional hero Blake Snyder gave me a rule that I've been having trouble implementing in my work: "In a good...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 28, 20202 min read
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PERFECTING PERSPECTIVE
You may have heard about the two students in Georgia who posted a racist video on TikTok (NOT. COOL.) and got expelled from school...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 22, 20203 min read
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ADVERBS, BEGONE!
When I was in college, the campus newspaper had a weekly section called the Police Beat. It featured tiny blurbs (no more than three...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 21, 20203 min read
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WHAT'S THE WORD?
Has this kind of thing ever happened to you? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/483433341224769205/ Embarrassing, right? Besides the misused...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 20, 20202 min read
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WHEN WHACKING CHARACTERS ON THE HEAD . . .
As you might have guessed by now, I may have done one or two silly things in my life. Thankfully, some of them have helped lead me to...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 17, 20203 min read
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THE NOT-SO-USELESS SNOWSHOES
In college, I took an outdoor recreation class, which included a day of snowshoeing in the mountains near Provo, Utah. I had a ball and...
Candice Bellows, The Story Engineer
Apr 16, 20203 min read
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