J.C. Wolfe's Writing Portfolio

So you've just started writing fiction, but you're not sure you've got what it takes. You're afraid you'll fail, that you'll make a ton of writing mistakes and you'll never be that amazing artist you hope to be someday. Or worse, maybe you think you'll kill it as soon...

What’s in a Color? How to Use Color Symbolism in Your Stories

I love colors. I'll say it over and over again: I love colors! They're beautiful. They're stimulating. Sometimes I even think they're magical. I love everything about them, from the power they have to evoke emotions to the subtle yet distinct differences they make in...

Defending R&J: Why “Romeo & Juliet” is a Greater Story Than You May Think

A year ago tomorrow, I shared a post on five points that are often overlooked in William Shakespeare's timeless play, Romeo & Juliet. Now I'm back and inspired to strongly defend it a second time. Nowadays, it's "cool" to criticize this story and dismiss it as a...

The Perks of Being a Fiction Writer

Remember that post I shared last week about the hard truths of being a writer? Well, fear not; I promise you that was only half of the big picture. After all, why would anyone choose to write if it only ever brought misery? Being a writer can be just as rewarding as...

3 Pieces of Advice No Writer Should Ever Forget

Writing is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be extremely challenging. Every artist is unique and every writer has their reasons for wanting to write, yet there are some pieces of advice that hold true for all creative spirits. Whenever you find yourself at a low...

5 Good Writing Habits of Productive Writers

In many ways, fiction writing is a profession without routine. One day you're outlining your plot and character descriptions, another you're writing or editing scenes, still another you're preparing your novel for publication and marketing. It's a great career path...

6 Hard Truths No One Tells You About Being a Writer

So you want to be a writer. Fantastic! But have you thought it through? Do you know what it really takes to be a writer? You might think you do, but if you're only looking through rose-colored glasses at the glamour of being a famous author, you may be shocked to find...

Composition of the Amethystine Variety and Why One Must Abstain From Its Application (or “Purple Prose and Why You Should Avoid It”)

I'm polymerized tree sap and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns on its original trajectory, and adheres to you. - Dr. Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory (Season 1, Episode 13 - The...

VOCALOID: The Power of Creative Collaboration

Those familiar with my blog know that Wednesdays are dedicated to topics regarding creative writing. Today, I'm going to step a little outside the box (not too far, don't worry) to share a little more of my nerdy side and talk about my newest obsession: VOCALOID....

Writer’s Toolkit: What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

Every writer who is serious about their craft needs to have a well-stocked writing toolkit at their disposal. Of course, the exact tools may vary among the different artists who choose to use them: a poet may use only small notebooks for jotting down his thoughts,...

6 Popular Rhetorical Devices and How to Use Them

Rhetoric: the beautiful art of persuasive speaking and writing that all ambitious people strive to master. It's a powerful tool for success; within a social and communicative species like ours, so many goals can be achieved simply through the use of effective speech...

6 Awesome Female Characters Every Girl Should Look Up To

Happy Women's Day! Because face it, world: you couldn't exist without us. March has been designated National Women's History Month, so to continue the theme of celebrating women on my blog, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite female characters ever! There are...

Stories in the Stars: Finding Creative Inspiration in Space

No Man's Sky came out this month, ending a three-year wait for the biggest space exploration game ever made. Published by indie studio Hello Games for PlayStation and PC, the game is set in a massive open universe (read: 18 quintillion planets) that procedurally...

Thesaurus: A Writer’s Friend or Foe?

Remember the elementary school days when our teachers introduced us to those trusty reference books that would guide us through our writing? These were the friends we would come to rely on for the rest of our lives, the books containing so many of the answers we would...

3 Reasons You Should Write Fiction in Active Voice

Anyone who either is or has worked with an editor has had to deal with the common writing issue of active voice vs. passive voice. Any and every editor worth their salt will tell you to favor active voice, while writing in passive voice is just another bad habit...

5 Lessons of Love in Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”

Welcome to the first week of October, or as it's come to be known here on The Wolfe's (Writing) Den, "Romeo & Juliet Week"! Yes, every year around this time, I like to share a post about my favorite love story: since I started blogging in 2013, I've covered five...

My Top Five Humor Tropes

What's life without whimsy? Laughter truly is the best medicine, which is why many writers like to include a little comedy even in dramatic works. Humor is one of the most appealing genres of fiction, but it's also one of the most challenging to write. That's where...

The Secret Plot Device: Chekhov’s Gun and How to Fire It

*click* Have you ever read a story or watched a movie/play where you noticed a certain item being used as an important plot device in a major scene, only to realize that the object in question had already made an appearance in a previous scene as some seemingly...

Five Points You’re Probably Missing in Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”

The new Romeo & Juliet movie is coming to UK and US theaters this Friday (which I admit makes me totally jealous, since there's no set release date for where I live yet). In the spirit of celebrating one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, today's topic is...

5 Lessons I Learned from Writing a Master’s Thesis

Yes, I know I've been writing a lot about my recent graduate school achievement lately and it might be getting tiresome to my regular readers. Don't worry; I promise it'll only go on for like, two more months (just kidding!). In all seriousness, though, my Master's...

7 Ways I Find Writers’ Blogs

Writers are everywhere, and with the advantages of the Internet and blogging, it's never been easier for us all to connect with one another. Blogging is a great way for writers to put themselves out there and gain some kind of footing for their work, but it can seem...

Five Reasons I Love Historical Fiction

If you read my recent post about the progress on my 2016 reading goals, you may have noticed I've been reading a lot of period fiction this year, and it's really been inspiring my fascination with history! I love reading stories set in the past for much the same...

Writing for Animal Characters (Writers Reveal)

Welcome to the first Writers Reveal of the year! This month's topic was sent to me by Ashley Howland, who asked me to write about animal characters: who are my favorites, what makes a good animal character and storyline, etc. Honestly, I don't think she could have...

Sunshine Blogger Award

Liebster Award

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Random Blog Posts

Vocabulary (Mondays)

Word of the Week: Malfeasance

Word: malfeasance Pronunciation: mal-FEE-zəns Part of Speech: noun Definition: wrongdoing, especially by a public official Source: Oxford Dictionaries Fun fact: sometimes my mom likes to browse through articles and posts about the English language and send me the ones...

Taming the Swan Queen: Balancing Technique and Emotion in Your Writing

One of my favorite things about cinema is finding analogies in movies that are applicable to the real world. In much the same way I relate to the characters I read about in books, I often notice themes and metaphors in films for patterns I see in my life. Disney...

Summer Heat

I do so love the winter cold, With weather brisk and sweet. But when I freeze too long, I start to miss the summer heat. For when the warmest months arrive And bring the scorching sun, It's time to set your work aside And start the summer fun. The beaches fill with...

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J.C. Wolfe's Writing Portfolio

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