Do you have a “feisty red-head”? Perhaps a frumpy brunette teacher with glasses? In shorter stories these devices can convey a lot of feeling into a character in short order, but it is good? Are we denying the wonder of the great differences in human nature by relying on these devices? I’ve met a fair…… Continue reading The tell-tale character
I recently posted on Facebook about a problem I’m facing with my Kindle. Let me start by saying I sparkly, heart love my Kindle…but one of them died a miserable death a few months ago and yesterday, my second was on life support. I was able to bring it back from the brink, but…… Continue reading E-readers galore
I’ve been thinking about proposals lately. I’ve read a few good ones, thought about my own so many years ago, and another writer friend recently bounced ideas off me for a good proposal scene. Invariably, it is one of the toughest scenes to write. Every reader has certain expectations of a good one. Will…… Continue reading Romantic Proposals
She’s in almost every romance novel you read, so does that make her an integral part of the story? She also must be relatable. If we ourselves don’t find beauty something we can relate to, are we creating tension between reader and heroine that doesn’t need to exist? First, if you write in first…… Continue reading The Beautiful Heroine
Voice means everything. Voice is what makes my writing different from all others that you read. Give me a topic and you may someday find someone who comes up with the same sentence as me, but it wouldn’t be easy. My life experience, reading, education, and aptitude form my voice. While it will most likely…… Continue reading Who Are You and What Do You Want From Me?
A few thoughts today from Terri Main. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1.17. As a writer, I set myself up for public criticism every time I publish something. And if I publish enough, I will get…… Continue reading Words Unwritten
Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story by James Scott Bell My rating: 5 of 5 stars You know you’ve found a good writing book when you have to put it down and think for a few minutes what each signpost is in your novel or how you could potentially add them…… Continue reading Super Structure ~ James Scott Bell
When I first started slinging verbiage onto my computer, my setting wasn’t integral. Well, that’s a bit of a stretch. More truthfully, the truth or actuality of the location didn’t matter. I got my story on paper first, then later during editing, I spoke to a good friend who lives in the general area where my…… Continue reading Dynamic Setting
A year ago I plotted the second novel in my Western Vows trilogy. It focuses on the sister of the main character of the first novel. I liked what I plotted, then during November NaNo, I tried to take what I’d plotted and write it out. The story that flowed so easily into note form…… Continue reading The End, again
I was hurt last week. Not by a critique or critic, those I can take. I was hurt by an expert because they caused me to doubt my path. You know those experts, the ones who tell you to do this and that, and don’t even try doing xyz because you’re not ready yet?…… Continue reading God Doesn’t Consult Experts
