by Cynthia Herron Twenty years ago, the world of writing was a much different scenario. Writers had fewer irons in the fire and more time to create. The internet was still new, a “social media presence” unheard of, and snail mail the order of the day. Today, we have the ability to research from anywhere at the touch of a …
Writer Whacked!
By David W. Fry Crouched behind a case of Tylenol, Dean sees his reflection in the shiny placard announcing the sale of Halloween candy on aisle thirteen. A shadow moves to eclipse his image. Dean pivots, his shoes squealing as if to warn, but it’s too late. I’m going to be clocked by a can of pumpkin and I didn’t …
Doing Time
by Deborah Raney Every year I anticipate this season when the brand new calendars go on sale! I always have such fun choosing the calendar that will hang on our fridge keeping track of all the important events of our lives. I get great pleasure from turning to a new page at the beginning of each month-a fresh start, a …
Distractions
by Carolyne Aarsen We all have them and we all give in to them. As a writer, working from home, with a refrigerator only a procrastination away, distractions are my nemesis. The biggest ones? The Internet and e-mail. No contest. I will be working away and hit a snag. Doesn’t even need to be a big one. Can be something …
Taking the P (plot) out of Suspense
by DiAnn Mills Recently I read a suspense novel that left me wondering what the story was all about. I couldn’t follow the storyline or figure out character motivation. Although many aspects of the novel were outstanding, I couldn’t find the plot (storyline) and that meant I had no stake in the protagonist’s life. In short, I lost interest. After …
Daring Dialogue
by Jordyn Redwood I have to confess that dialogue is one of my favorite things to write. It also is the easiest for me. Often times when I start a scene, I’ll just lay out the dialogue first. My love of dialogue likely stems from my real life job as a pediatric ER nurse. Communication in the ER is very …
Crafting Effective Scenes
by Winnie Griggs The workhorse of a story is not words, sentences, or paragraphs – it is the scene. Because it is in a scene that we see the key element of any good story – namely relevant change. Today I’d like to discuss eight elements I feel make up an effective scene: 1 Something happens The ‘something’ doesn’t have …
Critique Partners: Full Circle
by Kit Wilkinson Aside from paying a free-lance editor to critique your work, nothing can help your craft like having a great critique partner. Finding the right one, however, can be really tricky. It’s a relationship you have to enter slowly and with caution but, when it’s right, can benefit the both of you immensely. In July 2008, I sat …
Writing Believable Romantic Suspense
By Marta Perry The covers may no longer feature a heroine fleeing a dark mansion in her flowing white nightgown, but contemporary romantic suspense is the direct descendant of the classic gothic novels of such talented authors as Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt, and Mary Stewart. No matter what twists and turns the genre takes, storytellers still promise a combination …
Setting the Pace to Keep your Story Moving
by Myra Johnson The latest fitness research suggests that if you want to increase your calorie burn and build stamina, vary the intensity of your workout by alternating between moderate and brisk exercise. Same with writing. If you want your plot to have momentum and keep the reader engaged, pacing is everything. According to Jack Bickham, “Fiction is movement.” Narrative …