General Thoughts & Updates – Page 21

July 29, 2015

But I Love That Scene!

Sometimes you’re writing or editing, and you realize that a scene you’ve written isn’t driving the plot or helping with characterization. It’s not building the setting. It’s not even comic relief. In fact, it’s not doing much of anything except slowing the story down (One might even call it a tangent.). So take that bit out. What’s the problem? Well,...

Characterization, Plot, & Setting/General Thoughts & Updates/Literary Devices & Writing Techniques Comment: 1

July 27, 2015

Deep Dark Public Secrets

As someone writing 3 very different rough drafts in a public forum (twytte), I couldn’t help but laugh (in a good way) when I read Kharis Courtney’s “Writing Scared” article, featuring an Erica Jong quote: “All writing problems are psychological problems. Blocks usually stem from the fear of being judged. If you imagine the world listening, you’ll never write a...

General Thoughts & Updates/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0

July 25, 2015

Danger! Danger! Homophone Misuse!

A fabulous way to turn off educated readers (and editors) is consistently using the wrong homophone. It’s a simple misunderstanding that could cost big time. Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meaning. They may be spelled the same or have different spellings. To get started, we are going to focus on two homophone problems that are all...

General Thoughts & Updates/Grammar & Editing Comments: 0

July 24, 2015

50 Word Stories: Another Way to Challenge Yourself

Whenever you restrict yourself to a specific form or word count, you’re going to have to work your brain and flex your writing muscles. One of the most famous examples in writing legend (true or not) is the story of Ernest Hemingway writing a short story in 6 words as a bet. The result? For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn....

Challenging Exercises/General Thoughts & Updates/Quotes, Words, & Phrases/Writing Prompts Comment: 1

July 22, 2015

Why Your Best Idea May Not Be the Best Choice

You may not want to pick your favorite writing idea for your first novel. I’m not saying you can’t, but I would like to point out some reasons to consider working on something else. 9 times out of 10, your first book is not going to be very good. At least, it won’t be your best. If you think about...

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July 19, 2015

Writer, Challenge Thyself!

Writing is like running. If you run the same distance at the same speed over the same terrain every day, you’re not going to get stronger. You’re not going to improve your stamina. In fact, your body will adapt to the run, and you will actually get less benefit from the exercise. Plus, if you run in the same place...

Creative Process/General Thoughts & Updates Comment: 1

July 18, 2015

What Makes a Writer?

I came across an article this morning that reminds me of a scene from Sister Act 2 where Whoopi Goldberg’s character gives a book called Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke to a troubled teen. In this scene, Whoopi describes Rilke’s response when someone wrote to him, asking how to become a writer: “Don’t ask me about being a writer. If when you...

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July 15, 2015

Going to Book Signings

If you want to be an author, one of the most helpful ways to learn besides writing is to talk to published authors – listen to them speak, ask questions, etc. Fortunately, many authors do book signings or talks as a way of making money or marketing their work. These are great opportunities to see them talk and ask them...

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July 8, 2015

The Trick to a First Novel Is to Finish It

One of the hardest parts of writing your first novel is finishing it. I know that the first novel I started didn’t get very far. Every time I worked on it, I would have to read what I’d written before, and instead of writing new, I’d end up re-writing the old stuff. You know, editing it and fixing it. There’s...

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July 5, 2015

The Delicate Art of Book Promotion

Here’s an excellent peek into the life of an author. Whether you’re planning on self-publication, blogging, or going through a publisher, self-promotion is part of making it work. If the books are as well-written as the article, then, they’re definitely worth a glance, too.

Business & Publishing/General Thoughts & Updates Comment: 1

Words & Deeds

Category: General Thoughts & Updates