Russell Hirsch

Last post, I dove into an investigation of Middle Grade fantasy word counts using a random selection of novels from my own shelf. The...

Great books begin with great openings. It’s our first taste of a story that will excite, move, and enthrall us. And endings are just as...

Great writing has two main components: The “storytelling” component — big, structural things, like an exciting plot, good pacing, and...

We’ve all heard of writers grappling with the blank white page. But sometimes, writers leave readers grappling with a frustrating...

Today, we continue to unravel that most dreaded of all fantasy writing phenomena… EXPOSITION! Oh, so messy… Writers know that getting...

Exposition. Few words strike more fear into writers. Not exposition! Noooooo! Exposition is the explanatory stuff within a story. The...

With 100 published books (and counting!) Gordon Korman has delighted generations of readers with his signature blend of humor, adventure,...

Ten years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a great Canadian children’s author who described his books as full of “running and...

The YAK features articles devoted to Education, Writing, Children’s Literature, and Speech Arts. It is published by The Bolton Academy of...

The Second Act is the middle section of a novel and usually the biggest chunk of a book. It spans from when a character is first thrust...

Perhaps nothing simultaneously excites and intimidates a fantasy author as much as worldbuilding—crafting the geography, history,...

Today, I continue “Lessons from a First Novel” by reflecting on the outlining process. In writer slang there are Plotters and Pantsers....

Last winter, I finished a polished draft of my first novel manuscript. Of course, “finished” and “polished” are words that automatically...

In this post, I finish my examination of Kristin Cashore’s excellent Graceling Realms series. (Part one here!) The title of the post may...

***Onward, there be spoilers!*** Although the series is beloved first and foremost for its powerful and deep-feeling heroines, a central...

Today is Harry Potter’s 37th birthday and in homage to the birthday boy-who-lived and the continuing summer festivities marking the 20th...

Well, we’ve turned the page on 2016 and are getting into the swing of the new year, but if you’re still seeking fresh inspirations for...

Further Resources on the Hero’s Journey I hope you’ve found my summary of hero’s journey plot lines useful, but there is really no...

Happy New Year to all! We have reached the 10th and final stage of a hero’s journey plot line and a fitting stage it is for January 1st...

Huzzah! We have reached the Climax, the grand hurrah, the big shebang, a moment so exciting that only funny-sounding words can express...