Our Latest Blog Posts
To Repeat or Not to Repeat: How Much Regrounding in a Series?
These thoughts are aimed at those who are writing a series, as I have been. It’s begun to feel like I’m writing the same book over and over! Why? Because the characters and their sitz im leben need to be reintroduced each time, in case (a very likely case) someone picks up Book Three without having read Books One... Read More »
Is Your Story Drowning in Details?
Every story needs details—it’s what helps bring it to life for the reader. Details set stories apart from one another and enable the writer to introduce seemingly insignificant nuggets that may play a major role as the story progresses. The challenge for the writer is to find the acceptable ratio of details to plot without drowning the reader in... Read More »
Literary Devices to Compare and Contrast
Writers create images with words, and the techniques used are called literary devices. Because of the wide variety of literary devices, we will examine them in groups. In this article, we review the literary devices used to compare and contrast. By comparing and contrasting things, the author invites the reader to see a deeper truth. Use these devices to... Read More »
Double Trouble, or Making the Same Point Twice
New York may be the city so nice they named it twice, but when it comes to novels, most readers want a point well made once and not battered home in multiple forms. There are several ways this can happen. One is by showing and telling the same fact. Here’s what I mean: She was steaming with frustration. “Why... Read More »
When Writers Get Stuck
Writers, whether plotters or pantsers, inevitably get stuck somewhere along the way in the creation of their story and struggle to find a way forward. It’s a situation I’m familiar with, and it brought to mind a Robert Burns quote: “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” So, what’s a writer to do other than stare... Read More »
Creating Catchy Titles
Titles are so important. After noticing the cover and spine art, what’s the next thing a reader looks at? Maybe the author’s name, but certainly, the title. It’s got to catch the eye of the beholder. Which would you rather read: Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss or When to Use the Oxford Comma? Com’on, unless you’re a... Read More »
Writing Workshop Descriptions: You Gotta Sell It!
You have a great idea for a workshop and there is a conference coming up. Time to fill out the faculty application. How can you give yourself the best chance of being selected as a presenter? Write a stellar workshop description! Many times writers view the description as a little nonfiction blurb stating the basics of what they will... Read More »
He Said She Said—Some Thoughts on Dialogue
Silence. Try to picture it: a novel with no dialogue. That would seem cold and distant indeed. Dialogue is showing, not telling what the characters think. It gives us their own tricks of speech, carries the weight of their emotions, lets us literally hear their own voices. Well done, it adds to the force and immediacy of the story.... Read More »