Ready to take your writing to the next level? e-mail me
You’ve set up your scene and built tension as it progresses. But as you write, it dawns on you that you aren’t sure where to end the scene. Sound familiar? Writing Tip for Today: Here are some things to consider when a scene’s ending isn’t clear: Scenes as Micro-stories Scene ending trouble often crops up […]
When I start a novel, I’m nearly always tempted to go into a narrative about the story. Then, later, upon revision, I almost always rewrite the narrative to get characters in a scene, sooner. Writing Tip for Today: When should you write scene and when should you use narrative? It’s all about PACE. Set-Ups for […]
Overwriting can plague the writer who is trying too hard to make readers know, feel or think a certain way. Writers do tend to be passionate about getting their points across—as they should be. But when writing goes beyond ultraviolet into purple prose, readers wind up frustrated and confused. Writing Tip for Today: Why does […]
When I was a noob at writing for publication, I used to wonder what inciting incident meant. Didn’t we jump into the story on page one? Well, yes and no. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss how and where to place a story’s inciting incident. Normal Not Boring A story’s inciting incident is the same […]
Writers describe what is happening on stage through action, dialogue and inner thoughts/emotions. Many times, these descriptions emerge through use of prepositional phrases, showing readers directions and enriching the experience. But overusing prepositional phrases can lead to trouble. Writing Tip for Today: Clean, tight writing often depends on a good command of how and when […]
We’ve all heard the advice: You need to tighten up your writing. But what does that really mean? Writing Tip for Today: Tight writing doesn’t always mean terse or brief prose. Here are some easy ways to avoid overwriting and learn to write tighter. The Risky Rs Repetition can help readers understand that something in […]
Avoid Laughable Gestures Last post we discussed the need for originality and character-depth when writing a character’s physical gestures. With all the bad news and anxiety, I thought it would be fun to examine some of fiction’s most laughable (and troublesome) gestures. Writing Tip for Today: While we all want our readers to experience a […]
When we write scenes, we must liven them with the body language and nonverbal cues we use when we interact emotionally. Those cues and reactions can get stale awfully fast. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some ways to avoid falling into tropes and clichés when describing emotions: No Sighs Around my house, when we’re […]
In Oregon and many other states, governors are issuing Stay-at-Home orders. What does this mean for writers? Writing Tip for Today: What are some publishing changes writers will need to navigate during coronavirus crisis? Publishing Problems Traditional print publishing has never been known for speed, but now it will slow down even more. Yes, agents […]
Too Upset to Write? Journal Instead. As coronavirus ravages our country and the world, many are comparing it to 9/11. During that crisis in 2001, I couldn’t write for weeks. It seemed inconsequential to write about ordinary life when so many were hurting. Now, during the pandemic, I think I should have tried harder. Writing […]
Linda has always been a daydreamer, artist and storyteller. In addition to doting on grandbabies, collecting too many cats, gardening and walking on the beach, she loves to write and to help writers develop their skills. [READ MORE…]
