Words & Deeds

August 24, 2018

Is the Word “trump” Doomed to Change Forever?

Do you ever feel bad for the word, “trump”? Once a rather innocuous word associated with triumph or card-playing, now, it has become almost totally associated with a person and that person’s actions. Personal opinions of that person aside, that’s a dramatic change for a little, 5-letter word. But is it a permanent change? Is “trump” doomed to change forever,...

Categories Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0

August 14, 2018

5 Dangerous Plot Devices to Put in a Play

One major aspect of plays to remember as a playwright is that not everything that we’re used to having in movies and books can be done on stage. Many definitely can’t be done easily or cheaply. That’s why I call these dangerous plot devices to put in your play – because they can make it harder for the play to...

Categories Characterization, Plot, & Setting/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

August 7, 2018

You Can’t Wait For Inspiration: Jack London Was Right!

I might use a hunting dog or a more modern weapon than the club (depending on what inspiration I’m chasing), but otherwise, I have to agree 100% with this Jack London quote. You can’t wait for inspiration to magically appear – that’s a good way to end up not writing. I might’ve said this a time or two (or three),...

Categories Inspiration/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0

July 31, 2018

I Was Going To But Then I: An Inciting Incident Story Starter

I was going to, but then I… is not what you normally think of when you think writing prompt. And yet it may be the simplest (and most unobtrusively common) inciting incident story starter out there. I Was Going to But Then I Add two blanks, and you have the formula for a story: I was going to ____, but...

Categories Characterization, Plot, & Setting/Plotting Exercises/Writing Prompts Comments: 2

July 24, 2018

The Pros and Cons of Changing Cover Art

Do you ever feel like publishers are constantly trying to trick you by changing cover art on books? You think you’ve found a new book by an author you love, but then, it turns out that it’s an old book with a different cover? No? Just me then. *irritated grumble* I know that there are pros and cons to changing...

Categories Business & Publishing Comments: 2

July 17, 2018

5 Ways to Support Your Favorite Author

On my last trip to on of our local bookstores (and I love them all, don’t think I don’t), it occurred to me that none of the authors of those books would see any money from that purchase. I’d never consciously thought about it before, but it seems obvious now that buying second-hand does nothing to support your favorite author....

Categories Business & Publishing/General Thoughts & Updates Comments: 0

July 10, 2018

Inspire Your Writing with Fireworks

4th of July is Fireworks time! Fancy mixtures of minerals and explosive that dazzle the eye and shock the ear. Well, how about putting some of that “sound and fury” to work? Inspire your writing with fireworks. Can Fireworks Inspire Writing? Why Not? If you’re expecting a typical writing inspiration (think about the firework: how it looked, how it smelled,...

Categories Inspiration Comments: 0

July 3, 2018

Declaration of ______: Malapropisms for Liberty!

Want a fun activity for July 4th (Independence Day for the U.S.A.)? Why not try a malapropism? It’s an easy Independence Day activity for word lovers. Simply, print it out, fill it out, and read it out! Then, giggle. Usually.

Categories Humor & Wordplay Comments: 0

June 26, 2018

5 Ways Helping Can Hurt

We’ve all heard the old saying, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” But even familiarity with the idiom doesn’t help us think of ways helping can hurt. I mean, how does that work anyway? Aren’t they antonyms? Surely helping can’t make things worse, can it? How Helping Can Hurt Looking for an unexpected plot conflict? How about...

Categories Characterization, Plot, & Setting Comments: 0

June 19, 2018

5 Great Stephen King Quotes about Writing

I have yet to read Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, but from all signs, these 5 great Stephen King quotes about writing are just the metaphorical tip of the iceberg. So… I think I’ll have to give it a go.  1. Stephen King Quote “Description begins…” This is something that changed dramatically from my childhood interpretation...

Categories Inspiration/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0