Writers on Writing: The Hardest Profession in the World? I don’t know why fiction writers seem so eager to express angst. It seems like the lion’s share of wit and wisdom expressed by authors, who are writing about their profession, focuses on one primary theme: that writing novels is HARD. For example: “Writing is so [...]
Writers on Writing: Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain
Writers on Writing: Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain As a child, I was familiar with Tom Sawyer, but I didn’t fall in love with Mark Twain until my high school Language Arts class. We were studying The Adventures of Huck Finn, which begins with the following warning to the reader: “Persons attempting to find [...]
Writers on Writing: Advice from Ernest Hemingway
Writers on Writing: Advice from Ernest Hemingway If you’re going to listen to writing advice, you might as well listen to the most acclaimed authors in the world, right? That’s why I’m featuring this series of posts based on fiction-writing tips from literary masters. Today’s tip for writing great fiction comes from Ernest Hemingway: “To [...]
Character Sources: Ideas for Writing Sidekicks
Character Sources: Ideas for Writing Sidekicks Personally, I never have trouble coming up with outrageous sidekicks for my heroes and heroines. (Yes, it’s a gift.) Seriously, though, I love writing secondary characters, because they don’t have to walk such a tightrope of “heroism.” Secondary characters can be whiners or smart-alecks. They can refuse to tip [...]
Writing Dialogue: Why Characters Shouldn’t Talk Like Real People
Writing Dialogue: Why Characters Shouldn’t Talk Like Real People I know, I know: you’ve been told the exact opposite about dialogue writing by every other fiction teacher and book writing coach on the planet. And they were right. To a point. Now I’m here to explain to all you hard-working fiction writers why your characters [...]
Write the Way a Stripper Dances: Tips for Starting a Novel
Write Your Novel the Way a Stripper Dances: Tips for Opening Chapter One Tattling time . . . I’ve been judging submissions for a fiction-writing contest. I absolutely love finding new talent and encouraging writers to forge ahead with their publishing dream. What I DON’T love is wading through reams of background in Chapter One [...]
Writing Resources: Name a Character or Insult a Bully
Writing Resources: Name a Character or Insult a Bully Every Mage needs an apprentice, every writer needs a Muse . . . And every character needs a name. So what writing resources do I use to create zany names for my fantasy fiction? (What, you don’t think “Queen Hoodoo,” better known as Odzilla Wyrdd, is [...]
Story Critiques and Writers Groups: Can We All Be Adults?
Story Critiques and Writers Groups: Can We All Be Adults? One of my favorite literary mottoes comes from Alexander Dumas’s The Three Musketeers: “All for One, and One for All!” I’ve often thought that any kind of critique – whether it be of a fiction manuscript or a friend’s hair cut – should be delivered [...]
Self-Editing: 6 Tips for the Harried Fiction Writer
Self-Editing: 6 Tips for the Harried Fiction Writer Self-editing can be a grueling task. Most writers are awful at recognizing plot inconsistencies, syntax problems, and typos in their own work. In fact, many writers would prefer to cut off a thumb rather than cut out a paragraph. Some writers – especially the ones whose manuscripts [...]
Texas Humor: Quips and Quotes from the Lone Star State
Texas Humor: Quips and Quotes from the Lone Star State Today, I have Texas on the brain. And not just ‘cause I live here. I’m writing dialogue for a Texas protagonist in my upcoming Naughty and Nice series. I gotta confess: as a born-and-raised Yankee (Pittsburgh), I didn’t have a clue how to write [...]
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Writers on Writing: The Hardest Profession in the World?
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Writers on Writing: Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain
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Writers on Writing: Advice from Ernest Hemingway
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Character Sources: Ideas for Writing Sidekicks
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Creative Visualization: Keep the Faith in Your Writing
