by Donna K. Rice The clanking sounds of the doors rolling closed behind actors entering a prison in the movies are accurate. Last week, I experienced hearing that noise behind me for the first time. It made me think about freedom, and the loss of it. Fortunately, my time behind electric, razor-wired fences was limited to a visit for a …
In Prison Last Week
by Donna K. Rice The clanking sounds of the doors rolling closed behind actors entering a prison in the movies are accurate. Last week, I experienced hearing that noise behind me for the first time. It made me think about freedom, and the loss of it. Fortunately, my time behind electric, razor-wired fences was limited to a visit for a …
Savor the Season
By Shirley E. Gould We, authors, polish our prose as our word counts rise in order to share our stories with the masses. It’s tedious work we’ve dared to under-take. I’ve been working on a contemporary romantic suspense series for some time now. Observing trends in the industry, I see authors adding a Christmas novella as a prequel to their …
Savor the Season
By Shirley E. Gould We, authors, polish our prose as our word counts rise in order to share our stories with the masses. It’s tedious work we’ve dared to under-take. I’ve been working on a contemporary romantic suspense series for some time now. Observing trends in the industry, I see authors adding a Christmas novella as a prequel to their …
Writing Christmas Fiction
by Susan A.J. Lyttek It’s one thing to reminisce about Christmases gone by and to tell our own tales. But how do we go about creating traditions for a fictional character and make it seem both compelling and realistic? First of all, we can and should incorporate some of our own traditions. Maybe these go in with a minor character, …
Writing Christmas Fiction
by Susan A.J. Lyttek It’s one thing to reminisce about Christmases gone by and to tell our own tales. But how do we go about creating traditions for a fictional character and make it seem both compelling and realistic? First of all, we can and should incorporate some of our own traditions. Maybe these go in with a minor character, …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …
“Passive” Mania Blues
By Loretta Eidson I’m a high school graduate who majored in Home Economics and Math. English and Literature weren’t necessary to me at the time. Remembering how to dissect a sentence or conjugate a verb lasted about as long as ice cream on a hot summer day. So goes active voice and passive voice. Oh, my! Wish I’d paid more …
Honor the Craft
By Henry McLaughlin James Scott Bell posted a blog called Don’t Ever Mail It In where he wrote about the attitude that we’ve reached a certain point in our writing where we don’t have to improve. What struck me most is his definition of a real writer. It’s someone who honors the craft and never settles. In this blog, I’m …
Writing Out of My Comfort Zone
By Lee Tobin McClain I’m usually a planner… I’m a planner in all areas of my life. I write grocery lists, yearly goals, and daily plans. Most relevant to this post, I plan out my novels. I have chapter outlines and Goal-Motivation-Conflict charts for every book I write, and I usually plan out each scene before I write it. But …