Fiction writing
-
Cut out all those exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is like laughing at your own joke. – F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American author of novels and short stories Laugh at your own jokes. – Neil Gaiman, an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, and graphic novels Wow. Sometimes writing advice is so contradictory.…
-
“Accountability breeds response-ability.” —Stephen R. Covey I fear accountability. There, I’ve said it. I need it; but I avoid it. It hasn’t always been so. Early in my time at Bethel College (Indiana), I was invited to join a group called the Writers’ Accountability Network (WAN). You can still see me and the group here.…
-
Sherri Stone, by her own description, is “a social worker by profession. (She is) a writer, unpublished for now and waiting on God’s timing and plan for this.“In the meantime He has provided a critique group to help me polish and hone my skills.” Further, she has “been writing for several years now, but really…
-
“There is but one art, to omit! Oh, if I knew how to omit I would ask no other knowledge.” Robert Louis Stevenson, 19th century author, best known for his novels Treasure Island and Kidnapped. You know my love for tight writing. I am convinced knowing what not to include is far more important than…
-
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King I have heard this said over and over by many different folks. Do you think it’s true? I do. The times in my life when I haven’t made the time to read,…
-
I have this thing about time. My alarm is set for 5:41 a.m. (Sundays 7:53 a.m.). If recipe directions say bake for 25-30 minutes, I’ll pick 26, 27, 28, or 29—but not 25 or 30—minutes. When I warm my coffee in the microwave, I use one minute and two seconds. Never, ever, do I set…
-
In these posts, with the author’s permission, I look at their work pre-editing and post-editing—and at what I did to improve the piece. The idea is to catch a glimpse into not only the editing process, but the relationship between editor and author. Today we have another 2011 Operation First Novel finalist, Clarice James, In…
-
In these posts, with the author’s permission, I look at their work pre-editing and post-editing—and at what I did to improve the piece. Ruth Logan Herne and I go way back. I won’t say how far because she might kill me. You think I jest? Well, maybe so, but let’s just say I’m not willing…
-
In these posts, with the author’s permission, I look at their work pre-editing and post-editing—and at what I did to improve the piece. Oh my! Are you in for a surprise. Today Mary Connealy is In The Edit. You know Mary “Romantic comedies with cowboys” Connealy. Her latest book, In Too Deep, takes place in…
Writing On The Fine Line 