CRAFT CORNER
FICTION TIP FOR EMERGING WRITERS:
Stop worrying about writing a great novel—focus on writing an honest one. Don’t chase brilliance in your first draft; chase authentic emotion. Let your characters speak the way real people do. Let them make mistakes, contradict themselves, and stumble. Truth in fiction doesn’t come from perfect prose—it comes from vulnerability on the page.
Remember: you can always revise clunky sentences, but you can’t revise a story that never dared to feel.
WRITING PROMPT
Write a scene where your protagonist’s ordinary day is interrupted by something small—but life-altering. A phone call. A letter slipped under the door. A stranger’s question.
In writing about this moment that changed everything, focus on emotion before action: how does your character’s inner world shift before they even move a muscle? Let the tension simmer in silence before the storm begins.
(**If you’d like a free critique on the piece you generated from this prompt, I’d be happy to look it over.)
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, with the population of approximately 1.4 million people. When they say it’s the most bikable city in the world, they are not kidding. They are more bikes than people! (The city has “approximately 560,000 bicycles in the city of Copenhagen, more bicycles than people”—Wiki article on Cycling in Copenhagen.) And, cars. Be careful when exiting taxis. Even if you accidentally step in front of a bicyclist, you run the risk of being yelled at!
When we arrived in Copenhagen on a Friday night just past midnight, I expected quiet streets and shuttered storefronts. Instead, I was astonished to find the city alive in its own understated way—young people weaving through the downtown streets on bicycles, their laughter carrying through the crisp Scandinavian air. Near Central station and across from Tivoli Gardens, the glow of streetlamps illuminated cobbled lanes and neat facades, while the rhythmic hum of bicycle wheels seemed to be the city’s heartbeat at that hour. It was a scene both surprising and quintessentially Copenhagen: a reminder that here, the night belongs not to cars or chaos, but to bicycles and the simple joy of movement.
A canal cruise is one of the best ways to take in the charm of Copenhagen, offering a unique vantage point of both Nyhavn and the wider city. As the boat glides along the water, you’ll pass colorful 17th-century townhouses with their cheerful facades, historic landmarks like the Opera House and the Royal Palace, and even modern architectural gems that line the waterfront. From the lively bustle of Nyhavn, with its cafés and music spilling onto the quayside, to the quiet corners of hidden canals, the cruise captures the city’s mix of old-world charm and contemporary energy. It’s a relaxed, scenic way to see Copenhagen come to life from the water’s edge.
Amalienborg Palace, the regal winter residence of Denmark’s royal family, sits with quiet dignity at the heart of Copenhagen. Composed of four identical rococo palaces arranged around an octagonal courtyard, it feels less like a fortress and more like an elegant neighborhood square where history and everyday life meet.
Standing in the cobblestoned courtyard, you can watch the Changing of the Guard, a ceremony that infuses the air with pageantry as fresh-faced young soldiers in march in step across the cobbled courtyard. Their towering bearskin hats—so oversized they seem almost to dwarf the wearers—bob rhythmically with each stride, lending a touch of grandeur and charm to the ceremony.
The Frederick Church in Copenhagen, officially known as the Frederik’s Church or The Marble Church, was an awe-inspiring sight with its magnificent green copper dome towering over the city skyline. Located in the heart of Frederiksstaden, just a stone’s throw from Amalienborg Palace, this architectural gem is one of the most striking examples of rococo architecture in Scandinavia. The church’s dome, one of the largest in Europe, offers panoramic views of Copenhagen for those willing to climb the 260 steps—a reward well worth the effort.
We made a day trip to Kronborg Castle, which is famously known as “Hamlet’s Castle” because it served as the setting for William Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy Hamlet. Every summer, the castle hosts the Shakespeare Festival, where international theater companies perform Hamlet in the castle’s open-air courtyard. Perched majestically on the edge of Helsingør, this UNESCO World Heritage Site exudes an old-world grandeur with its sweeping courtyards, stately towers, and echoing halls. Wandering through the royal apartments and the eerie underground casemates, one can almost hear the whispers of centuries past. The views across the water to Sweden are stunning, and the charming town surrounding the castle adds to the experience, with cobbled streets, quaint cafes, and local shops.
As one of the happiest countries in the world, Denmark does know a thing or two about how to live, and that’s what makes four days in Copenhagen your next destination!
