I wonder how many readers have thought this? Writers must resist the urge to explain or risk insulting their readers’ intelligence. Most readers catch on quickly to the fine points in a story, and they like to make up their own minds about the meanings, morals and messages. When you read a mystery, for example, […]
Why You Must Trim the Fat in Your Novel, What It Means, and How to Do It
April 19, 2013 By 2 Comments
I saw this quote on Facebook recently, and it got me to thinking. New writers sometimes don’t recognize when their novels are carrying extra weight. They have the tendency to think they need to add more “stuff” to fill the pages. Then, in trying to expand the story to fill a couple hundred pages, they […]
Word Trippers
March 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Today’s post highlights a tool for writers. I can’t take credit for this, but I think it might be more valuable than a post from me this week. Many words in the English language are confusing. They trip us up. Writer and editor Barbara McNichol wrote a book and an email Ezine to assist writers […]
Body Language
March 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
I confess! I swiped this Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers from Archtype Writing.com–a website that bills itself as “The Fiction Writer’s Guide to Psychology” … but they told me I could reproduce it freely for educational purposes, so I guess that keeps things legal. 😉 Either way, it was too good to pass up […]
Weather and Character Emotions
November 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the crisp cool days and bright blue skies. Can this feeling translate to writing? Weather can become an important item to set the temperament of the scene or the entire novel. In the movie “Blade Runner,” a Harrison Ford film just after his “Star Wars” […]
