Once upon a time there was a young girl named Mary Kate who dreamed about being a writer…
So I want to talk about one of my favorite things in fiction… Subtlety. I’ve already written about how one of my biggest pet peeves in books is showing and telling. I also wrote a post on how to not do that. I think the best novels are ones that show you everything that’s happening–then leave it to […]
Today I want to talk about something very small that can improve your writing in a big way….
So I’ve written a lot about what we can learn from the masterful writers who’ve come before us, focusing mainly on the first 250 words of the manuscript. Today I want to focus on something else: voice.
I think Mondays are a good day for a quick writing lesson, don’t you? At the beginning of the work week I’m (usually) in a productive mindset. So going forward, on Mondays I’m going to be sharing some little tips that can improve your writing in a big way. First up: On how (and why) […]
As a writer, I’m constantly asked: “Where do you get your ideas?”
It’s time to talk about Novel Interruptus. I found this ingenious term on another writing blog and now I can’t remember which one, so if you know, please tell me so I can give the author credit.
“Regardless of what the advertising campaigns may tell us, we can’t have it all. Sacrifice is not an option, or an anachronism; it’s a fact of life. We all cut off our own limbs to burn on some altar. The crucial thing is to choose an altar that’s worth it and a limb you can […]
As a writer, it’s a mantra you hear over and over: “Show, don’t tell.” There’s a reason it’s repeated endlessly: it’s one of the main things that separates good writing from bad writing.
