Category: Writing tips

Cool “writers on writing” archive

Hi, folks–

I took Monday off. Kind of a Manic Monday, don’tcha know.

Anyhoo, I came across this really sweet New York Times archive. It’s called “Writers on Writing” and it’s a big ol’ list of articles done by various writers that addresses some aspect of writing. Super cool.

How about E.L. Doctorow on how novels are following films into a land of “fewer words”?

As more than one critic has noted, today’s novelists tend not to write exposition as fully as novelists of the 19th century… .The 20th-century novel minimizes discourse that dwells on settings, characters’ CVs and the like. The writer finds it preferable to incorporate all necessary information in the action, to carry it along in the current of the narrative, as is done in movies.
source

Or Annie Proulx (whose work I deeply admire), on inspiration?

A whole set of metaphoric shovels is part of my tool collection, and for me the research that underlies the writing is the best part of the scribbling game. Years ago, alder scratched, tired, hungry, and on a late return from a fishing trip, I was driving through Maine when a hubbub on the sidewalk caught my eye: milling customers at a yard sale. I stop for yard sales. Pay dirt. I found the wonderful second edition unabridged Webster’s New International Dictionary with its rich definitions and hundreds of fine small illustrations.
source

Or Alice Walker on meditation, John Updike on character, or Carl Hiaasen on plagiarizing from real life?

This archive is a treasure trove of gems from a variety of writers, from a variety of perspectives. Seriously check it out.

Happy reading, happy writing!

by Categories: Cool stuff to read, Coolness, Inspiration, Things that might make you think, Writing tipsTags: , , , , , , , ,

Writing tip! A, B, Cs of plot development!

Hey, all–

Found this groovy writing tips site that includes this:

The ABCs (and Ds and Es) of Plot Development.

Here’s an excerpt:

Plot develops out of conflict, either external, such as a person or an event that precipitates a series of actions the main character undertakes, or internal, driven by the protagonist’s wants and/or needs. How that character, and others, makes choices and otherwise responds to stimuli determines the course of events.

The traditional structure of a plot is linear, in which the protagonist’s actions are charted in a more or less straight line, although many stories shift from that person’s point of view to that of one or more other characters as the tale progresses. Others involve one or more flashbacks, introducing new elements to the overarching plot.

Here’s the quick n’ dirty:
A = Action
B = Background
C= Conflict
D = Development
E = End

Go on and check it out.

Happy writing, happy reading!

by Categories: Inspiration, Things that make you think, Writing tipsTags: ,

Want to catch more in your writing? Tips for that!

Hi, folks!

Editing tips can actually help you recognize not-so-great stuff in your writing so you can make it better. Dustin Wax says that learning to edit can help you write better.


source: Kathleen Grieve

QUOTE:
The best writers know differently, of course — their memoirs and biographies and writing manuals are filled with stories of books that needed to be cut in half to be readable, sentences that took weeks or months to get just right, and lifetimes spent tinkering with a single work that never strikes them as “just right”. To paraphrase a common saying among writers, there is no good writing, only good re-writing.

But if writing isn’t taught well enough or often enough these days, editing is hardly taught at all. This is too bad, since editing is where the real work of writing is at. More than just proofreading, good editing improves the clarity and forcefulness of a piece.

One of those tips, which I find particularly useful for writing better dialogue, is reading out loud. Wax also recommends reading in reverse. And CUT, don’t add. Another of my faves, get rid of adverbs.

More awesome tips at Wax’s blog at Lifehack.

Have fun!

Happy writing, happy reading.

by Categories: On editing, Writing tipsTags: , , ,

Interesting new writers’ site

Hey, folks–

I came across this today while running around the interwebs. It’s a new site geared toward helping writers of genre fiction called Book Country.

Those genres: romance, mystery, fantasy, sci fi, and thriller. Those genres are further broken down into subgenres.

This New York Times article explains it. The site is affiliated with the Penguin group, and in its initial phase, writers will be able to post their work and get critiques from other users and/or comments about writing craft and various aspects of the work that was posted for free. Later on this summer — to generate revenue — Book Country will launch a self-publishing venue for a fee by ordering printed copies. The books will bear the stamp of Book Country, and not Penguin, because it’s considered a separate venue.

The site will also provide info for writers with regard to things like finding an agent, marketing and promotion, using social media as an author, and handling things like digital and subsidiary rights. It’s being spearheaded by Molly Barton, the director of business development at Penguin. Book Country hopes to attract editors and agents and even publishers scouting for new talent. Hopefully, Book Country will allow authors to create more polished work and attract attention from the industry.

Sounds intriguing. Keep yer eyes on this one, kids. It might prove an interesting hybrid model from big publishing to self-publishing.

Happy writing, happy reading!

by Categories: Books, Publishing bizness, Writing tipsTags: , , 1 Comment

Fun (I hope) stuff: some interviews with my characters

Hey, folks. I’m working a few different writing projects at once, so I’m running around like a freak at the moment. For those of you who are not familiar with my work, you can check the “books” section of my site here and the “stories” section to get a taste of it. I offer excerpts from my novels and a few freebie short stories. Sort of a “try before you buy” thing.

And, at the blogsite Women and Words, where I spend a lot of time (this month, we’re blogging the alphabet and tomorrow I’ll be posting the entry for S), I talk about the publishing business and about my work and some other things. So, with that in mind, I’d like to introduce you to a couple of my characters, who I had the good fortune of sitting down and chatting with. One, K.C. Fontero, is the main character in the first and third books of my New Mexico mystery series. The first is Land of Entrapment and the third is The Ties that Bind. Sage Crandall is K.C.’s love interest, but she has a rep as being a force unto herself. In a good way. 🙂

So here are the links to those interviews, for funsies.

K.C. Fontero

Sage Crandall

I do chats with my characters because it helps me work some stuff out with regard to that aspect of writing. So, for writers, give it a try and for readers, hope you find it at least interesting.

Happy writing, happy reading!

by Categories: Books, Inspiration, Writing tipsTags: , , 2 Comments

Secrets revealed…

Hi, kids!

Today is TMI day. Wait! Come back! No, I’m just going to tell you a bit about my own writing process. Sometimes people who read my stuff like to know how I write. That is, if I’m like a superstitious baseball player and I have to go through all kinds of rituals and stuff like that.

Um, no. Although I do have a few rituals, but not many. Anyway. So let’s get to it. Click it!

Continue reading →

by Categories: Inspiration, Writing tipsTags: , 2 Comments

Cool blog with some good writing tips

Hi, folks. Monday and it must be a writing tip day. Looks like a lot of other bloggers do that, too, and here’s Maria McKenzie with a really good one from Read and Write Romance at Blogspot:

AVOID PERFECTIONISM.

Here’s the link to her blog.

Using Anne Lamott’s points about avoiding perfectionism, McKenzie notes:

Being too tidy, according to Ms. Lamott, suggests that something is as good as it’s going to get. In a previous post here, not looking back when writing a manuscript was discussed.

The important thing is to finish. Plow ahead, make a mess! Don’t worry about every little detail or whether or not it’s polished enough. That comes later, at revision time.

Have fun with that first draft; avoiding perfectionism allows a really great story to unfold! Do you struggle with perfectionism? Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

So true. Thanks, Ms. McKenzie. And thanks, too, Ms. Lamott.

by Categories: Writing tipsTags: , , ,

Quickie Writer Tip

Hi, folks–

I find short stories really difficult to write. I don’t really consider myself that good at them, and it’s an art form I’d like to get a handle on. So I came across this blog today that provides some good fuel toward that goal:

Short Stories: 10 Tips for Creative Writers

Good stuff. Like, doing catchy first paragraphs. And emergency tips, like getting your theme nailed down ASAP. Oh, and developing characters (basically, you need to know way more about your character than you’ll use in the story). Includes tips on dialogue, point-of-view, and how to use setting and context.

So there you go. Get crackin’ on your short stories! (ditto for me)

Oh, and don’t forget the “Blog the Alphabet” tour is under way at Women and Words. Today’s letter is D!

Happy writing, happy reading!

by Categories: Writing tipsTags: , 2 Comments

Things writers should NOT do

Hey, folks–

You may have heard this one before, but here it is again. This link has been making the rounds through the writing/reading community as an example of how authors should NOT respond to reviews.

Yeah. Um…I’m embarrassed for this author, who ends up coming across as, unfortunately, unprofessional and unable to deal with critique, whether constructive or not. The author then made it a lot worse and responded in the comments section (more than once), with more of the same behavior. Yikes! The author even told someone to “f*** off.” Holy career enders, Batman!

Give me more! Yes, more! Click on…

Continue reading →

by Categories: Book reviews, Books, Publishing bizness, Random WTF stuff, Things you shouldn't do, Writing tipsTags: , , , , 4 Comments

Monday writing tips

Hi, folks. Howsabout these greats from the greats?

I’m particularly enamored with Mark Twain’s:

Substitute “damn” every time you’re inclined to write “very;” your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

That’s from tip 2, “eliminating unnecessary words” like “actually,” “very,” and “really.”

Checkov’s exhortation to SHOW, don’t tell:

Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov

That’s tip 4: “Simply stating something is fine, but when you need to capture attention, using similes, metaphors, and vivid imagery to paint a picture creates a powerful emotional response.”

Good one from Ray Bradbury: You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.
Lesson? “Learn to thrive on criticism. Writing means putting yourself at the mercy of anonymous hecklers and shameless sycophants. Learn to make the most of the insults and distrust the praise.”

Check out the rest of the list here.

Happy writing!

by Categories: Writing tipsTags: , 1 Comment