Linda Covella, Author

Writing competitions are a great way for writers, especially those who are new and/or unpublished, to get your work seen. The contests address all types of creative writing—adult and young adult fiction, poetry, short story, essay. They can inspire you and give you that incentive you may need to get those fingers clacking on the keyboard. Some contests provide feedback, you may make contact with editors and agents, and you might even win—either a cash prize, publication, or both!

There’s a slew of contests out there. Here are some links and a few highlights from the lists. Many require a fee, but I’ve also provided a list of those that are free to enter. Most are open now, so get inspired, write, enter, and good luck!

A Comprehensive List from NewsPages.com

News Pages Classifieds provides a long list of writing contests, covering all genres.

Press53 is offering an award for short story collections, often a difficult genre to get published. The prize is nice, too—publication, a $1,000 cash advance, travel expenses and lodging for a special reading and book signing party in North Carolina, attendance to the 2014 Press 53/Prime Number Magazine Gathering of Writers, and ten copies of the book.

Here’s something different from The Digital Americana: A flash fiction contest whose winner will have his or her story turned into a short literary film. For details click here and scroll to 501 Word Writing Contest.

Four organizations—Benetech Global Literacy, the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and Orca Book Publishing—are sponsoring a contest for emerging and existing writers to submit “original high-interest fiction and non-fiction reading material for young adults aged 13+ who struggle with reading.” Eleven cash prizes will be awarded.

FreelanceWriting.com’s Contest List

This list has many contests for poets.

A biggie on this list is the PEN/The Bellwether Prize for fiction. Funded by author Barbara Kingsolver, the submissions must address “issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships.” The winner receives $25,000 and a publishing contract with Algonquin Books. The contest is open to writers who have an unpublished novel manuscript and have had at least four publications (including short stories or essays).

Writers Digest

Writers Digest sponsors many writing contests throughout the year, including poetry, fiction, science fiction, and self-published book awards. Most are closed now (the Short Short Story competition is still open), but check the website for submission dates.

Free Entry

WritersViews.com kindly provides a list of writing contests that require no entry fee.

The list includes competitions from all over the world, some in very specific genres such as love story, satirist comedy, screenplays written by teens, and even an “Ocean Dream Cruise Liner Writing Contest.” To get all the contest details, you must register on the WritersViews website, which is free.

Miss Snark’s First Victim

“Authoress,” who anonymously runs the Miss Snark’s First Victim blog, is amazing in the time and support she provides the writing community with her contests for writers of adult, young adult, and middle-grade fiction. Every month she holds a “Secret Agent” contest where submissions are randomly chosen to participate via bot. The entries are then read and critiqued by both the blog community and the secret agent. The agent’s identity is revealed at the end of the contest, as well as his or her announcement of which manuscripts should be submitted to the agency.

At the end of each year, the “Bakers Dozen” contest is held (now closed) where 13 agents “bid” to read partial-to-full manuscripts based on the 250-word submissions. For this contest, the submissions are chosen by Authoress and author Jodi Meadows from hundreds of contest hopefuls.

Here are some articles from the past week that I found interesting, helpful or just plain fun. Happy reading and writing!

Best Children’s Books of 2013

Publishers Weekly put out their list of the best children’s books for 2013 and it includes every genre of middle grade or young adult books. So if you’re looking for a scary read, historical fiction, mystery, adventure, realistic or romance, you’ll find it there. I’ve read two of the books on the list—Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff and The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr, and I recommend both. Almost every other book on PW’s list is going onto my “to be read” list.

World’s Longest Book Domino Chain

At the Antwerp Book Fair, a Belgium book association broke the world’s record for the longest book domino chain. Check out the video as 4,485 books fall in a continuous chain reaction. Very cool!

I Want My Brick-and-Mortar Bookstore

Like most people today, I order books (and other things) from amazon.com. I hate shopping for those “other things,” but one of my favorite places to spend time and money is a real bookstore. And this article explains why: 10 Lovable Things about Brick-and-Mortar Bookstores

Winning the Banned Books Battle

When the Tucson school board banned many books either written by Latinos or containing Latino subject matter, one man, Camiliano “Cam” Juarez, fought the ban and won. This article tells his story.

Brown Butter Bread Pudding Tarts (yes, it’s writing news related!)

You don’t have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy this recipe. This is a fun article about the food in the famous and well-loved author’s books, and includes the recipe for this delicious-sounding tart.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) starts today. Every November, hundreds of thousands of writers—professionals, hobbyists, dreamers—take to their keyboards to pound out at least 50,000 words in one month.

You can read all the details, including FAQ, on the NaNoWriMo official website. There you can sign up, and once you do, you’ll be able to track your progress, connect with fellow NaNos, and give and get support.

I participated one year and was able to finish a rough draft of a sequel to one of my middle grade stories. The key phrase here is “rough draft.”

The idea of NaNoWriMo is to just get the words written. Of course, you have to start out with a premise for your novel. Some people prepare an outline ahead of time. But if you’ve had an idea bouncing around in your head for a while, now’s your chance to get it out. Let the words stream across the page. Write, write, write. Perfection is not your goal. You can worry about revising later.

I admit, it’s difficult for me to “just write.” I tend to edit as I go, and NaNoWriMo was a good incentive for me to break away from that habit. It went so against my nature to write virtually without stopping. But I was pleased (and amazed) that in 30 days, I’d written an entire novel!

I’m participating—sort of—this year. There are “rules” for the event, and one is that you can’t revise previous stories, though you can write sequels, and you can use previous characters, ideas and settings.

I want to do a major revision of one of my stories, and use a large part of the content. So though I’m not signing up for NaNoWriMo this year, I’m using it as my own personal incentive to get my revision done—a rough draft of my revision, that is.

How about you? Do you have a novel inside you? Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month? Best of luck to those who are!

Last week, I attended a small concert at my mother’s assisted living facility. Pasquale Esposito, who I admit I had never heard of, generously performed for free along with his keyboard player and a backup of recorded musical arrangements.

The concert was phenomenal. Pasquale, a handsome Italian tenor (with very cool shoes), had the large group of seniors, their family and friends, and the staff clapping and singing. His voice is absolutely beautiful, and that, combined with his sense of humor and his interaction with the audience, made for a memorable afternoon.

It will be especially memorable for me since it was a special time I spent with my mother. She’s the one who taught me to appreciate all things artistic. Whether it was books, singing, music, paintings or theater, she brought her love of art into our family’s life, including the beautiful art she herself created.

Unfortunately, she hasn’t painted for quite a few years, but I have some of her gorgeous, striking and joyful watercolors in my home, which I’m proud to show visitors, and which I’ll cherish forever.

Viewing art, reading books, seeing movies or plays can be an emotional experience. Depending on the subject matter, these things can resonate with me, pull feelings out of me, make me think and contemplate life in general and my own life as well.

Make me feel, yes. But cry during a movie or reading a book? Not me. Rarely, anyway.

You will, however, see tears in my eyes when I’m listening to certain music. It can be rock, opera, songs with or without lyrics. I don’t know when a song will pull at my guts and bring on the tears. I don’t know if it’s because I happen to be in a certain mood, or if it’s the music itself, or a combination of both. But music, certain music, fills me with emotion.

And this is what happened that day last week during Pasquale’s performance. I sat next to my mother, my aging parent who isn’t the same person I knew just a few years ago. Now, she doesn’t have the energy and, thus, the desire to do much of anything. But while Pasquale sang, I saw her face engrossed in his music. I watched her clap and sing along with a familiar song. I snapped pictures of her so I could remember this moment later, when her energy level will have declined even more.

And I tried my hardest not to let my tears fall. It was the music. It was his voice. It was my mother’s face and her enjoyment. And it was the inspiration I felt to see Pasquale’s passion, his real love of singing and love of sharing it with his small audience—he who can charge high ticket prices and fill large venues.

Though her short term memory is fading, she remembers him and his music, and it’s a magical moment that she and I continue to talk about. That’s the power of art, of passion, of Pasquale’s beautiful voice and his big heart.

Dale is a long-time writing partner, one of six in our group. I couldn’t be more proud of what she’s accomplished with her writing and publications. We were all “newbies” when we started our critique group, and the quality and professionalism of Dale’s writing—not to mention her talent and ability to tell a good story—show how far she’s come since those early days.

Dale’s Writing Process

Linda Covella: Dale, I’m very excited to have you on my blog. Let’s get started! How long have you been a writer?

Dale Ibitz: All my life. But in the traditional sense, for about 16 years, part-time.

LC: Do you write in one particular genre, or explore a variety of stories?

DI: I wrote mostly in the YA fantasy and paranormal genres, though I have written a middle-grade contemporary with a kind of dark theme. My next book will be in the new adult category, and I have plans to dabble in the adult market as well. I like dark, and creepy. I have learned through trial and error that most readers prefer happy endings to dark ones.

LC: I have to say, even though you like dark and creepy, you also have a great sense of humor. You’ve had me ROTFL many times over the years!

From where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

DI: Several places. Okay, this is going to sound really weird, but I like to watch soap operas, because they are the masters at evil plots and twists. That’s my dirty little secret. But there are other things that inspire me. My Last Moon Rising series was inspired by global climate change. I’m often inspired by nature. And music. Totally. I can hear one line in a song and develop a whole story behind it.

LC: Ok, your secret is out about the soap operas. Maybe I’ll have to start tuning in.

What is your writing process? How much/often do you write?

DI: My process is a shambles, if I’m to be honest. Because I work full-time, and have a couple of rug-rats, I grab snippets of writing time when I can. My most productive time is on the bus to and from work, early mornings, or on the weekends. I find it difficult to write at night, because I’m usually physically and mentally exhausted. I’m at my best in the morning.

LC: Do you have writing partners who critique your work before submission? Why do or why don’t you think this is important?

DI: Absolutely. I’ve been in a critique group almost as long as I’ve been writing. It’s important because you can’t always judge your own work…you’re too close to it. I happened upon a mix of people who all have different strengths, whether it be grammar, or plotting, or characterization; they each see something different in my work and help zero in on all those flaws.

Dale’s Road to Publication:

LC: How long have you actively been pursuing publication?

DI: Almost as long as I’ve been writing. It took me a couple of years to finish my first book, so I’d say about 12-13 years.

LC: Do you have an agent? If yes, how did you go about finding him/her and what have the benefits been to having an agent?

If not, do you think an agent would be helpful to your writing career/do you plan to seek an agent?

DI: Hmmm. Tough one. I don’t have an agent. I do think agents are helpful if you want to break into the Big 6 (or is it 4 now?) They can bring their savvy expertise to not only get you through the door, but to pull up a chair at the negotiating table. I don’t believe an agent is necessary for the smaller boutique publishers; their doors are open, and there isn’t a whole lot of room to negotiate.

LC: Have you self-published your books, or gone through a traditional publisher?

If self-published, why did you go that route? Or, why a traditional publisher?

In your view, what are the pros and cons of each?

DI: I have self-published. While it’s true you have all the creative control when you self-publish, it helps to hire an editor and a cover designer, so you shoulder the up-front costs. Also, the marketing end of it is exhausting. You have to trade your creative hat for a business hat, something many authors (including myself) are not entirely comfortable with.

My next book will be through a publisher. While they do a lot of the heavy lifting, the writer is still required to do some marketing on their own. For me the feeling is that I’m not in this alone; I have people who will edit my book, and design the cover, and help me market. It’s kind of nice not having to do everything on my own!

LC: What’s up next for Author Dale Ibitz?

DI: Lots of exciting things! My third book in the Last Moon Rising series (YA fantasy), Water Over Blood, will be released this year with plans to release the final book in spring of 2014. I’ve also signed a deal with Soul Mate Publishing who will be publishing my new adult paranormal romance, Kiss Me Dead. I’m totally tweaked about that!

LC: Anything you’d like to add or that we should know about you?

DI: I like chocolate. And coffee. Preferably together! I also have links if you want to stalk me.

Website: http://authordaleibitz.weebly.com/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaleIbitzAuthor

Twitter: @daleibitz

Kyra Dune is an author of fantasy fiction with several published books that “take you places you’ve never been.” Here we learn about her writing process and her road to publication.

Kyra’s Writing Process

Linda Covella: Kyra, so happy you could join us today. How long have you been a writer?

Kyra Dune: Since I was nine.

LC: You knew what you wanted to do at an early age! Do you write in one particular genre, or explore a variety of stories?

KD: I write mostly fantasy, both adult and YA. In my teens I wrote a few short stories in the genres of science fiction and horror, and there are some ideas for novels in those genres in my idea file. Whether or not I’ll ever get around to actually writing them remains to be seen.

LC: From where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

KD: Everywhere. There are a million stories all around you every day, you just have to be receptive to them. They can come from songs, or other stories, or a form glimpsed in a cloud. Anything could spark the imagination. I’ll give you an example. When I was a teenager I read The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe. I was so enamored with the story that I was inspired to write my own short story in a similar fashion. Years later, I came across that story and decided to try and make it publishable. I ended up with two beginnings and couldn’t decide which one to use. So I put the story aside for awhile and promptly forgot about it for another couple of years. When I came back to it the next time, I realized I had the beginnings of two different stories. Those stories blossomed into two unrelated trilogies that are so far from the original short story it’s hard to believe that’s where they got their start.

LC: That’s a great example and very inspiring. It’s true, you never know what story seeds will blossom into something special. What is your writing process? How much/often do you write?

KD: I write six days a week, seven to ten hours a day depending on what else I have going on.

LC: Do you have writing partners who critique your work before submission? Why do or why don’t you think this is important?

KD: There is someone who always reads my work before anyone else sees it. She gives me invaluable input and I wouldn’t dream of submitting a book anywhere until she has the chance to give it a look over.

I think this is very important, because a writer is so deep inside the story we can’t always see when something isn’t working. We know everything about our characters and their worlds, and we sometimes forget that the readers don’t. You need a fresh eye to find problems with plot, or a character doing something that seems wrong for them, or even simply for editing purposes. I write so fast and in such a frenzy, I sometimes leave out a word here or there and she can point that out for me.

Kyra’s Road to Publication

LC: How long have you actively been pursuing publication?

KD: I was twelve when I first started submitting stories and poems to magazines.

LC: That’s very impressive, Kyra! Do you have an agent? If yes, how did you go about finding him/her and what have the benefits been to having an agent?

If not, do you think an agent would be helpful to your writing career/do you plan to seek an agent?

KD: I don’t have an agent and I don’t plan to seek one out. Not to say I would turn one down in the unlikely event they come knocking on my door one day, but right now I’m doing all right without one.

LC: Have you self-published your books, or gone through a traditional publisher?

If self-published, why did you go that route? Or, why a traditional publisher?

In your view, what are the pros and cons of each?

KD: So far, all my novels have been published by traditional publishers. On October 14, I intend to launch my first self published title, Web of Light.

My publishers are great, really, I have no complaints with any of them. But through self publishing I have more creative control of my work. I can make my own covers and I can decide when my books are released, so that means getting them into the hands of consumers faster. Also, I’ll be making a higher percentage off my novels by self publishing and that is, of course, a big motivator.

There is, however, a lot of work in self publishing that a writer doesn’t have to deal with by going the traditional route. If you can’t make your own cover, you have to find someone who can do it for you. And you have to find an editor, unless you know someone personally who is capable of doing that for you. To anyone wants to self publish, please don’t be the only one who edits your book. It’s a bad idea. If you can’t afford to hire someone, then get someone you know who has a good eye for such things to help you.

LC: What’s up next for Author Kyra Dune?

KD: Right now, I’m working on several projects. Dark Light is the sequel to Web of Light and I hope to release it around the first of December. I’m also working on two urban fantasies Crossfire and its sequel Firestorm, a YA fantasy The Dragon Within which may be the first in a series, The Watchtower War which is the final installment of the traditionally published Time of Shadows Series, and a so far untitled high fantasy.

LC: Anything you’d like to add or that we should know about you?

KD: I’d like to thank you for having me on your blog. Also, for any of you writers out there, aside from writing I also make cover art and book trailers. If you’re interested in having a look at my work you can see it here Shadow Portal Productions.

LC: Thank you for joining us today, Kyra. Good luck and happy writing!

Connect With Kyra Dune: Facebook      Twitter    Blog    Website     Goodreads   Pinterest

Watch Kyra’s Book Trailers:   YouTube

Buy Kyra’s Books: Amazon   Barnes & Noble

We’re closing in on the end of 2013 Banned Books Week, which runs from September 22-28. This is the week where, each year, the focus is on “our freedom to read” and how the personal opinions and power of the few keep certain books out of the hands of the many.

There are lists of books that have been banned over the years, but you might be surprised that removing books from library and classroom shelves is still going on.

Books that were banned in 2012/2013 include:

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel was banned in 2012 from the sophomore reading list at Nampa High School in Idaho because some thought it “too racy.” One parent said it was “a vile piece of work.” This book is considered a modern classic in Latin American literature.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is a popular teen book and won the 2006 Michael L. Printz award for excellence in young adult literature, among other awards. In 2012, this book was removed from the required reading list in Sumner County, TN schools because of a scene that involved oral sex. Knox County also banned it, calling the book “pornography.”

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (another popular book with teens) by Stephen Chbosky was challenged at Grandview Heights, Ohio high school because it contains references to drugs, alcohol, sex, homosexuality and abuse.

Follow this link for a full list of recently banned books.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if next year there isn’t a new list of banned books? Even though Banned Books Week is ending tomorrow, remember that every day of the year the choice is yours: celebrate your freedom to read!

I’ve recently been reading about the importance of first lines of novels. Those sentences that are supposed to grab your readers’ attention and compel them to keep reading. There are websites that list the “best first lines,” two of which are on the American Book Review site and the Bookbaby blog. These lists are entertaining to read, but are also good food for thought for writers.

On the two lists, I’ve seen the first line “It was a dark and stormy night.” This is a line that makes most modern writers snort in derision, but the line served these earlier authors well.

From Edward George Bulwer-Lytton’s novel Paul Clifford published in 1830:

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

I think that’s a pretty engaging opening.

From Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time published in 1962: (This is one of my favorite childhood reads.)

It was a dark and stormy night.

In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of her bed and watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind. Behind the trees clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped through them, creating wraithlike shadows that raced along the ground.

Wow, I love that beginning. The verbs, especially, create a three-dimensional image full of movement.

Before it was considered a cliché, I think this phrase worked. And, of course, what follows in each beginning draws you more into each story.

This got me thinking about the first lines of my novels. In particular, I thought the beginning of one of my middle grade novels, The Castle Blues Quake, could use some revising. Originally I wrote it with the “big bang” theory in mind, but I was never quite happy with it.

Below is the new (and improved?) version. Let me know what you think. Generally, what your thoughts on first lines—with either books you’ve read, or books you’ve written or are writing?

Old beginning to Castle Blues Quake:

POUND-POUND-POUND-POUND-POUND!

I bolted up in bed. A streak of yellow light shot under my door then snapped back into darkness. Footsteps creaked past my room. Then a noise that sounded like a monster’s long, loud burp vibrated through the walls.

I fell back onto the pillow. Just Mom or Dad using the bathroom. What passed for a bathroom, anyway, in Mom’s hundred-year-old “dream house” with hundred-year-old pipes that made the rudest sounds.

I burrowed into my down comforter. Down. In California. In the summer. What was wrong with this picture? Cold, wet fog, that’s what. I thought of my BFF Chrissie sweating in New York, kicking her feet out of the sheets while the smells of Chinese food, pizza and hot dogs drifted in through the open window. It’d only been a few days, and missing her and the city was a never-ending ache in my chest.

New opening:

My mother’s “dream” house turned out to be a “nightmare” house.

It was my third night in the place, and I still had trouble sleeping. How could I relax with the noisy pipes that sounded like a monster’s long, loud burp vibrating through the walls? With the creaking footsteps past my door every time Mom or Dad or Sage used the bathroom. With the branch scratching my darkened window like the fleshless fingers of a zombie rising from its grave, a grave most likely hidden in the backyard.

I burrowed into my down comforter…

New Children’s Bookstore to Open in Berkeley

A bookstore opening instead of closing. I love hearing news like that, especially when it’s an indie bookstore, and as a children’s writer, the fact that it’s a children’s bookstore is the cherry on top of the sundae.

Co-owners Devin McDonald and Jenny Stevenson will open Mr. Mopps’ Children’s Books in October and will sell books, toys and games for kids, as well as music from around the world. They’ve also owned Mr. Mopps’ Toy Store since 2010, which is located four doors away from the bookstore. I’ll be sure to check them both out next time I’m in Berkeley. Read the Publishers Weekly article by Wendy Werris here.

Young Writer’s Contest

Bookshop Santa Cruz is holding their annual Young Writer’s Contest where writers ages 6 to 17 can win publication of their entry and other prizes. See the rules, prizes and application form here. Deadline for submissions is October 13.

The “New Adult” Genre

I’m reading a lot lately about—and seeing books published in—the new “New Adult” (NA) genre. There seems to be differing opinions on what it means and if it’s even necessary. Here’s an interesting take on it written by a 20something via the Huffington Post. What do you think about this genre? Have you read any NA books?

Don’t Overuse Exclamation Points! (and other writing tips from Elmore Leonard)

Crime novelist Elmore Leonard recently passed away at the age of 87, and BBC news ran an article about the overuse of exclamation points—something Leonard strongly advised against.

When I first started writing, I was guilty of overusing exclamation points. It was so easy to hit that shift/1 key, and very difficult to wean myself off that particular punctuation mark. But I’ve since learned my lesson and use them sparingly.

In 2001, Leonard wrote an article on his ten rules of writing, which are worth checking out for you writers out there! (Oops.)

Publisher Refuses to Print Gay Author’s Bio

Utah publisher Cedar Fort Publishing was set to publish author Michael Jensen’s novel Woven when they took a closer look at his bio, which said “[Michael Jensen] lives in Salt Lake City with his partner and their four dogs.”

The publisher, concerned about their LDS (Latter Day Saints) audience’s reaction that Jensen is gay, sent him this email: We can’t risk ruining our relationship with them by stating you live with your boyfriend, so we need to cut that part out.

Jensen, wishing to remain true to himself, refused. At a stalemate with the publisher, he pulled out of the publishing contract.

Good for you, Michael, and shame on Cedar Fort Publishing. Thankfully, other publishers have shown interest in his book.

Read the full story here on kutv.com. (Thanks to PW Daily newsletter for posting.)

Are You as Smart as an Eighth Grader?

Check out this test for 8^th graders from 1912. How did you do? Me? Um, not so well.

Conveying character emotion has always been difficult for me. I think a big part of the problem is I’m not an overly demonstrative person when it comes to showing my emotions, so I feel uncomfortable doing that with my characters. But this is where fully knowing your characters, envisioning them as real people, helps.

When describing your characters’ emotions, avoid cliché’s. Instead, use fresh descriptions and reactions. These are the key ingredients to giving your characters true emotional responses.

There are many resources out there to help you with learning how to write emotion.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi breaks down a long list of emotions and provides many reactions a character might display.

In this blog post, Ackerman discusses going beyond facial expressions when conveying character emotion. Writers should also look at what the character’s body is doing when having an emotional reaction.

I took an eye-opening class on writing character emotion from Margie Lawson. She teaches how to dig deeper into your character’s emotional reactions by going “beyond hammering hearts” and looking at visceral—basic or instinctive–responses.

Another book that looks helpful is Writing for Emotional Impact: Advanced Dramatic Techniques to Attract, Engage and Fascinate the Reader from Beginning to End by Karl Iglesias. The book is geared toward screenwriters, but his techniques can apply to fiction writers as well.

The “bible” for screenwriters is Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee. McKee’s book has long been used in screenwriting classes, and has since been discovered by fiction writers as an excellent reference not only for writing emotion, but for all aspects of writing, including character development, plot and setting.

Do you find it difficult writing characters’ emotions? How do you approach it?