A couple of weeks ago I attended a reading and book signing by author Susanna Kearsley. She was promoting her new historical novel, A Desperate Fortune, which I enjoyed immensely. (Note: This is not a book review, only my thoughts on what makes Kearsley’s book work on all levels.) I find it fascinating to discover […]
Month: April 2015
How to Figure Out What You’re Writing
I’m sure some of the writers I coach become frustrated when I ask them, “What are you writing?” They eagerly launch into detailed descriptions of their characters and every moment of action taking place in their story. Until I stop them and ask, “In no more than one hundred words, what’s your story about?” Most […]
Third Wednesday: Leavened vs. Leveled
So many English words have similar sounds that it’s easy to use the wrong one if you don’t pay attention. This example illustrates the importance of knowing the meaning of every word you select. “Past the ditch and the stubble of last year’s soybean crop, the field leavened out.” Leavened – to make light, […]
Riding the Story Flow
Have you ever had the bulk of a new story drop into your consciousness while you teetered on the edge of sleep? It happens to me every once in a while, and that’s what I experienced a couple of nights ago. I wasn’t planning to start a new manuscript. I wasn’t even looking for a […]
Fooled by Sneaky Serials
Okay, Author. You did it again. Sucked me in with that blurb promising an exciting adventure. The start of an intriguing new series. At almost four hundred pages, it took me a few evenings to read your book. You built three separate plot lines, threading them together, weaving back and forth. You presented conspiracies, made […]