Living to Write
Something is smelly. Things smell. Sometimes the smells are good, sometimes the smells are not good. In my current work in progress, the main character encounters a lot of different smells as she moves through the story. Riding in the back of a military truck is “hot, loud, and smelly.” Of course, that is pretty Continue Reading
Voice It’s best to use active voice in fiction writing, they tell us. Passive voice we’d best avoid. I’ll break it down for you. Active voice keeps your reader engaged with action verbs. Passive voice puts the reader to sleep. Back in the day, my mentor in the Navy, Senior Chief Journalist Raymond P. Lucasey*, put it this Continue Reading
Opening Lines The first chapter and scene of a novel begin with powerful, strong opening lines. These should grab the reader, show some potential conflict, set scene, and introduce the character. And, they should entice the reader to keep reading. The power went out. Again. Amy Grossman fumbled on the dresser for a candle and some matches. Continue Reading
Short Fiction Writing short fiction helps you develop your craft. You learn the structure of a story, how to develop a character, and how to keep a story focused. A short story is usually between 3,000 and 7,500 words. Of course, this depends on your market. Some print and online magazines have their own ideas Continue Reading
Life sometimes takes a turn. Sometimes it gets in the way. Sometimes it just gets kinda full. Believe me, I am not the world’s most disciplined writer. I work best under pressure of a deadline (thus my preference to use NaNoWriMo to complete first drafts). Getting through the first draft, or course, it a great Continue Reading