Living to Write
Confidence We usually express confidence outwardly. It shows in our body language, dress, attitude, and how we communicate with others. Or, lack of confidence. Or, in the example provided by the image here, questionable fashion sense? Okay, I’m really not one for criticizing other’s fashion taste, though. My wardrobe consists of t-shirts with pockets and jeans. Continue Reading
It’s About the Craft Writing is a craft. An art. A skill you hone and improve with practice and time–seasoned with blood and tears. When you first start writing, your clumsy, stilted prose dribbles down the page. Your words flow in sluggish sentences with passive verbs and all to many adverbs. Your dialog shouts with too Continue Reading
Small is Beautiful These days, I’m amazed at how small things can get. What used to need more carrying capacity, now fits into a small bag. I’m packing for a trip. My sleeping bag compresses into a very small bag. My sleeping mat and pillow go into a smaller bag. Cooking and other necessities take Continue Reading
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