This is K.M. Wyland and you are listening to the 142nd episode of the word play podcast. I felt ridiculously

spoiled this past month. I cleared my schedule of other major projects so I could

focus several extra hours a day on my revision of Dreamlander. I won't lie, it's been amazing. I seriously

cannot remember the last time I had so much fun writing, and that's saying something.

Some of this is probably the result of moving back into a fun adventure story

after spending the last few years embroiled in a darker more tragic tale. But a large

part of it is the onslaught of time I get to spend wrapped up in imaginary worlds and people.

The days just zip past.

Alas, that time is coming to an end.

I'm entering the final quarter of the book and probably only have a few more weeks before I'm finished with it.

Of course being finished has its perks too since that means I get to start on something new.

When not to tell your character's backstory. The latest post in the video series on my blog

compares two movie adaptations of the Scarlet Pimpernel to discover how we can best convey our characters backstories.

You can watch the video on my blog at wordplay-K-M-Y-L-N-D

that's W-E-I-L-A-N-D dot blog spot.

New videos are posted every Wednesday. L-A-N-D-B-S-B-S-B-G-O-N-D-B-S-E-N-D-E-N-D-B-B-S-E-N-D-B-B-S-E-N-D-BlogSpot-T-C-C-E-N-T-E-N-T-T-E-N-T-T-E-N-T-G-G dot com. structure part six, the first half of the second act.

Every segment of a story offers its own challenges, but perhaps none leaves writers more bewildered than the second act.

Beginnings and endings are tough to get right, but it leaves writers more bewildered than the second act.

Beginings and endings are tough to get right, but at least we have a checklist of things

to accomplish.

The middle of the story, on the other hand, is a yawning blank.

We feel like we're entirely on our own as we try to move our characters

...