Nathan comes home from his first day at school. Mother asks, “What did you learn today?” He replies, “Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow.” As writers, we have to have realistic and attainable goals. Writing is something that … Continue reading
Extreme Pantser – Someone who writes a story with no preconceived idea as to where the story is going or how it will end. Extreme Outliner- Someone who plans out the entire story, scene by scene, before the first line … Continue reading
The gooey donuts, fresh from the oven, smelled like heaven in a bag and made my mouth water. I quickly downed the first one in the car, then sighed with satisfaction as I licked the warm glaze from my fingers … Continue reading
Head-hopping is when a writer jumps from one character’s point-of-view (POV) to another’s without a clear break. New writers may do this without even realizing it. Their intent is to pass on enough information to the reader to make the … Continue reading
Do I have the talent to write or am I just fooling myself? I ask that question almost daily. Talent is great, wonderful, and a powerful step in the right direction, but many workshop leaders and published authors agree it … Continue reading
The Writing Gene – Do You Have It? William Shakespeare had it, Edgar Allan Poe had it, even Dr. Seuss had it. So what is it? It’s what drives you—compels you to write. It’s a desire to leave something of … Continue reading
I once critiqued part of a story for an English professor. I told her I could really “see” the character as a scornful, snobby woman. She was shocked. That was not who her character was. One of the goals of … Continue reading
In simple language, a book’s genre tells the reader what kind of story to expect. For example: western, mystery, sci-fi or romance. Genre tells a publisher or agent if it is the kind of book he/she handles. It tells a bookseller … Continue reading
Sit down and have a cup of coffee or tea. I want to talk to you about something. Here’s the deal. You and your friends are watching a movie that really speaks to you. You’re totally immersed in the story. But one … Continue reading
Can I tell you a secret? I was driving home from work one day, the radio playing, my mind on cruise-control, when I got the call. No, I don’t mean on the cell phone. It was a clear, direct and … Continue reading