Holly Schindler
@hollyschindler.bsky.social
Author, artist, musician...a storyteller through any means possible. linktr.ee/hollyschindler
When did your protagonist know the kind of person they never wanted to become? Avoidance and your character: youtu.be/5523Ckn5QNY?... #writing #WritingCommunity #writingtips #writingabook #character #CharacterDevelopment #storytelling #Screenwriting #npc #ttrpg #writersofbluesky
The ultimate test for your main character? Put them in a situation in which they might actually become what they fear: youtu.be/5523Ckn5QNY?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #character #CharacterDevelopment #storytelling #authorlife #howtowriteabook #writersofbluesky
What your main character is afraid to become is just as important as what they're afraid to lose. Avoidance and Character Development: youtu.be/5523Ckn5QNY?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #fear #character #ttrpg #npc #storytelling #howtowriteabook #screenwriting #writersofbluesky
We often ask ourselves if our protagonist is LIKABLE. But maybe we should ask: Is our protagonist worth FOLLOWING? hollyschindler.substack.com/p/is-your-pr... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #revision #writingabook #writinganovel #CharacterDevelopment #maincharacter #storytelling
Looking for a Halloween-inspired scary story writing prompt? Try this one. More creepy ideas: youtu.be/5H7lvBt1n-s?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingprompts #Halloween #horror #horrorjunkie #scarystories #scary #storytelling #writersofbluesky
The story of Poe's exhumation would make a GREAT horror story. More horror or Halloween-inspired writing prompts: youtu.be/5H7lvBt1n-s?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingprompts #writingideas #storytelling #edgarallanpoe #americanliterature #horrorstories #Halloween #writersofbluesky
Looking to write your own Halloween-inspired spooky story? How's this for a prompt: safety coffins. More Poe-based writing prompts: youtu.be/5H7lvBt1n-s?... #writingprompts #Halloween #horrorstories #storytelling #edgarallanpoe #SafetyCoffin #americanliterature #AmericanHistory #writersofbluesky
Was there ever any evidence discovered that Edgar Allan Poe was buried alive? Separating fact from fiction: youtu.be/5H7lvBt1n-s?... #writingcommunity #writing #americanliterature #edgarallanpoe #horrorstories #Storytelling #literaturelover #literature #AmericanAuthors #writersofbluesky
Does your book maintain the same tone throughout? Not stakes. Not character emotionality. Tone should absolutely be part of diagnosing a manuscript: hollyschindler.substack.com/p/watch-your... #writing #writingcommunity #WritingTips #writinglife #revision #Storytelling #writersofbluesky
Flat stakes? Don't make the danger bigger; just make it personal. How introducing more fear into your book can make it viscerally real: youtu.be/aMYj0fj1Fpg?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #storytelling #WritingABook #stakes #writinglife #writingadvice #horrorjunkie #writersofbluesky
I'm digging into horror conventions that can help writers of ANY genre. Snag your download + prompts on including the uncanny: hollyschindler.substack.com/p/uncanny-do... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #writingresources #writingadvice #horrorjunkie #storytelling #writersofbluesky
Uncanny Download (+ Prompts)
Last week, I wrote about using the uncanny in your own fiction. It’s such a great horror technique, and it actually works for any genre…even literary fiction.
hollyschindler.substack.com
Need to increase the stakes (or fear) in your book? Make sure that character of yours has one shot at success. Fear and writing for any genre: youtu.be/aMYj0fj1Fpg?... #writing #writingcommunity #stakes #horror #WritingABook #Storytelling #writingemotion #writersofbluesky
Stoic characters still feel fear on the inside...they'll just do everything they can to cover it on the outside. Why fear should be in EVERY book, regardless of genre: youtu.be/aMYj0fj1Fpg?... #writing #WritingCommunity #WritingABook #characterdevelopment #horror #storytelling #writersofbluesky
It's so easy, when jumping into a revision, to assume that the book starts with a bang and the problem lies somewhere further in. But a LOT of times, the problem really IS the beginning: hollyschindler.substack.com/.../sometime.... #writing #writingtips #revision #storytelling #writersofbluesky
Indie authors: Are you using InDesign to format your print book? Be aware the images are linked. Images in InDesign: youtu.be/gjFk7lhYk1I #writing #writingcommunity #amwriting #indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookformatting #bookdesign #indesign #writersofbluesky
Are you inserting images in your manuscript? In InDesign, you can draw a custom frame shape for those images using the Pen Tool. All about images in InDesign: youtu.be/gjFk7lhYk1I?... #writing #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #indieauthors #InDesign #bookformatting #bookdesign #writersofbluesky
Did you place an image in your manuscript & it does NOT look the way you intended? Properties panel offers a few quick fixes. More on images in InDesign: youtu.be/gjFk7lhYk1I?... #writing #writingcommunity #indieauthors #indiepublishing #SelfPublishing #bookformatting #InDesign #writersofbluesky
How to create a round photo in InDesign (no Photoshop needed)! More image tips for InDesign: youtu.be/gjFk7lhYk1I?... #writingk #writingcommunity #indieauthors #indiepublishing #SelfPublishing #storytelling #InDesign #bookformatting #bookdesign #writersofbluesky
When working with images in InDesign, be aware that you have both an image and an image frame. All about images in InDesign: youtu.be/gjFk7lhYk1I?... #writing #writingcommunity #InDesign #IndieAuthors #indiepublishing #PublishingJourney #bookdesign #bookformatting #storytelling #writersofbluesky
Does the middle of your book REALLY sag...or are you just sick of it? hollyschindler.substack.com/p/does-my-mi... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #plotting #revision #revisiontips #storytelling #revise
Three questions you can ask when constructing your character's comedic worldview. More on constructing this worldview: youtu.be/VUPcLZJLnzE #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #storytelling #comedy #humor #ComicRelief #FunnyCharacters #characterdevelopment #character #writersofbluesky
Archie Bunker is a GREAT example of how a worldview generates comedic moments. Craft your own main character's comedic worldview: youtu.be/VUPcLZJLnzE?... #writing #writingcommunity #storytelling #comedy #humor #funny #ComicRelief #funnywriting #characterdevelopment #writersofbluesky
Need some comic relief in your book? Give one of your characters a weird belief that make sense to them. Punchlines will write themselves. Comedic worldviews: youtu.be/VUPcLZJLnzE?... #writing #writingcommunity #writersofbluesky #characterdevelopment #comedy #funnywriting #storytelling #humor
How a comedic worldview can absolutely help craft a funny main character. Full comedic worldview vid: youtu.be/VUPcLZJLnzE?... #writing #writingcommunity #writingtips #comedy #humor #FunnyCharacters #characterdevelopment #charactercreation #storytelling
On this Labor Day (the day I take the plunge into something new rather than take a day off), I'm wishing you the very best ANYWAY. hollyschindler.substack.com/p/wishing-yo... #writing #writingcommunity #artist #artcommunity #storytelling #laborday #labordayweekend #LaborDay2026 #writersofbluesky
WAS Anne Bradstreet unaware her poems were being published...or was that just a story to make publishing as a woman socially acceptable? America's first published poet: youtu.be/q1_2VUwUSQ0?... #americanliterature #LiteraryHistory #womenpoets #femalepoet #writinglife #writersofbluesky
Some things about being an author NEVER change. More on Anne Bradstreet, America's first published poet: youtu.be/q1_2VUwUSQ0?... #storytelling #writing #WritingCommunity #poetry #americanliterature #womenpoets #womensliterature #writinglife #annebradstreet #writersofbluesky
Coverture and Anne Bradstreet's poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband." What's your take? More on Anne Bradstreet, America's first published poet: youtu.be/q1_2VUwUSQ0?... #americanliterature #poetry #womensliterature #AmericanPoetry #LiteraryHistory #explication #colonialhistory #writersofbluesky
If Anne Bradstreet could keep writing through it all, I have no excuses. Anne Bradstreet, America's first published poet: youtu.be/q1_2VUwUSQ0?... #annebradstreet #americanliterature #storytelling #LitHistory #poetry #womensliterature #womenslit #femalepoets #writersofbluesky