Ready to take your writing to the next level? e-mail me
To all my wonderful writers and followers: Yesterday, December ninth, 2024, my husband Brad of nearly 47 years passed away of a massive stroke. He was a courageous Marine to the end. Today, I’m repeating an oldie but goodie for all who write stories, long or short. Fiction is a little like knitting: most people […]
As we jump feet first into the holiday season, the many tasks and traditions often interrupt our writing commitments. Writing Tip for Today: Here are tips to help you keep writing during the busy holiday season. BIC Still Works If you’ve set yourself a writing schedule, the holidays can disrupt your good intentions. […]
As we approach the conclusion of NaNoWriMo 2024, those who’ve stuck with their goal are likely nearing the end of their stories. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few tips for novel endings: Your All-is-lost Moment As you get to the last scenes of Act II in the classic story structure, you’ll want your […]
A few years ago, I began teaching my fiction students to write scenes in a cinematic way—that is, to visualize each scene as if it’s a movie. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss cinematic scene writing and scene visualization. Who’s on First? One common mistake that writers make is not visualizing their scenes. Or they […]
We know that stories are about conflict and tension and how characters resolve or overcome it to achieve a goal. How you write those scenes matters. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s look at how to build scenes that grow tension up to the climax scene. Start Passionately In your opening scenes, the Main Character must […]
The race is on for 50k words by November 30th. As you type or scribble your heart out, take heart—you may be drafting the best novel idea you’ve ever had. Writing Tip for Today: What are some tips for getting to 50k AND having a solid draft to then revise? Get Action Going As you […]
As we get set for NaNoWriMo 2024, let’s consider how you’ll craft your characters’ dialogue on your way to 50k words. Writing Tip for Today: Effective dialogue sounds like real speech—but isn’t. Here are some tips: Avoid Nattering When we put our characters on stage, the dialogue is prone to devolving into chit-chat and niceties. […]
In only a couple of weeks, writing enthusiasts across the globe will set off on NaNoWriMo 2024. That novel idea that’s been floating around in your head wants to succeed—here are some tips on winning NaNoWriMo. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some tips for preparing your novel idea for the NaNo challenge: The Character […]
I never get writer’s block, but I do admit to a few dry spells. During one of these desert episodes, I’ll be drafting and suddenly realize that I’m only saying abstract or informational stuff. I have to remind myself to write from the deepest places. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some ideas for writing […]
Ernest Hemingway was known for his spare prose, meaning he wasn’t one to embellish or over describe. As writers, we too must strive to be more precise in both our word choices and the amount of supporting material we add to our pieces. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few tips to help you […]
