Barbara V Evers

I follow several blogs. Some I read religiously, others I glance at the topic and decide whether to read it or pass. One blog that I always read is Philip Athans’ Fantasy Author’s Handbook. I had an opportunity to take his online world-building class through Writer’s Digest several years ago and have been a loyal follower since then. This week, Philip’s post fits well with the theme of ending a year and looking toward your plans for the next year. So, as I close out 2018 on this blog, I thought I’d share his post with you: Suggested Reading for 2019

Uncle Wayne (right) when he and Uncle Bill visited my mother in 2012. I received the call today, my Uncle Wayne passed away last night. He was the last of my parents' generation in our family. Always quiet, he could tell a funny story with a gleam in his eye. Wayne often read my posts and commented on them. It was a great way to connect with him long distance. In one of those weird twists of coincidence, that I fail to believe are coincidences, someone yesterday found and commented on a post from 2011 that he allowed me to use on this blog. He wrote it, and on the day of his passing, someone commented. If that doesn't give you cold chills, well, I don't know what will. In honor of Uncle Wayne, I'm sharing the link below. I'll miss him, but at least I have a bit of his wit available to share with others. Don't forget to read the comments. He chimed in there, too. The Dreaded Evil Fitted Sheet Godspeed Uncle Wayne. I hope you're having a grea...

I teach a class in Vision Boarding. Most people take the workshop to identify what's truly important to them. Knowing what's important to them allows them to filter through a myriad of opportunities and obligations and choose the ones that fit their vision. Your values drive WHO you are Who you are affects HOW you think. This manifests in WHAT you do.     What is a Value? As you can see, your values drive your actions. They are the WHY of your behavior. The same goes for the characters in your story. Values are the beliefs or concepts that are important to you. For example, if honesty is a value of yours, then your thoughts and actions will filter through that belief first. A character can experience a crisis when following a personal value violates what others expect of them. For example, an honest person doesn't want to lie, but they can avoid a crisis if they lie or bend the truth a little.   Where Do Values Come From? The short answer? A ...