The old advice is “Write what you know.” That’s a misleading phrase, and it stymies many a beginning writer. The actual phrase should be “Write what are willing to learn […]
creative writing
5 Tips to Writing Emotionally
One of the areas many new writers have trouble with is emotional content. Their writing may have a lot of description, even vivid images, but there is no connection for […]
What Writers Can Learn from Cinema
Sandi Ault is a great teacher! This session shared some of the tricks and tips of the screenwriting trade which can translate to novel writing. There are four design elements […]
Blathering: Edits
Draft #2 is off to the editor for the last check-up before I start on the query letters. This is someone who’s never read anything by me before, so it […]
Tips and Tricks: Getting a Start
NaNoWriMo approaches, so here are some quick tips to get you started on those 50,000 words. Stretch your writing muscles: if you’re short of ideas, find one of those writing […]
Finding Your Voice
Voice has been defined as a collection of devices used consistently to create the illusioin of a person speaking through the text. But how do you find your unique writer’s […]
Common Sense: Using Sensory Details to Enhance Your Writing
You’ve all heard it: use the five senses to describe your world. However, it’s not enough just to jot down a quick list of sight, sound, smell, feeling, and maybe […]
Blathering: Vacations
Getting geared up for a week’s vacation – from the day job, that is. I’m not sure writers ever really take vacations. I’m packing the laptop, the iPad, and of […]
3 Tips for a Memorable Setting
Setting is the time, place, and social environment for your story. Amateur writers generally ignore setting, except as a stage backdrop. Here are some tips on creating a memorable setting. […]
Short-Short: Adding Conflict
HERE’S a link to a good Writer’s Digest article: 5 Tools for Building Conflict in Your Novel