|
Hi, Alex Simmons here. I've taught 100s of aspiring and struggling writers how to overcome their fears and frustrations and create compelling plots, characters, and stories that appeal to a broader audience. Over the years, I've been honored to be a professional author (award-winner), writing coach/teacher, and consultant. I’ve written for many mainstream publishers, Marvel/DC/Archie Comics, and penned plays, interactive games, and video and animation scripts. And I’ve been a global speaker on empowering people through the arts. I have much to share, starting with my Simmons Says Newsletter.
Welcome to my newsletter! "The Clue Was Right There, But I Didn't..." So, Reader, The killer was always able to come up on its victim. Men, women—it didn’t seem to matter. Big, strong, average, petite. Five people, every one of them taken out by this extremely effective murderer, and the police didn’t have a clue. But the writer had placed clues in the story from the beginning to the end. Subtle clues. The question was: Could readers really spot them? A great mystery is not a game of...
Welcome to my newsletter! "In crime, the shortest distance isn't always a straight line." Let me show you what I mean, Reader. Here's a situation. On a simple weekly shopping trip, three senior citizens get kidnapped. Their captors demand $300,000 for their return within the next 24 hours. Okay. That sounds pretty basic. They kidnap some people, and obviously the family or whoever is going to come up with $300,000 to get them back. Maybe $100,000 apiece, right? Except there's a problem. The...
Welcome to my newsletter Alert! "In a good mystery, only some of the characters should be clueless." Reader, You might have seen some of my early Crime Scenarios.A man falsely accused of robbing the mob. An impossible murder in a high-security penthouse. A crime-of-the-century counterfeiting threat about to be unleashed. The problem is the same for all three. Who and How? The good guys don’t know, and neither do you. That is … if you’re the WRITER! Why? Because you don’t know crime deeply...