| Wanderings of a Working Writer |
A writers' conference can be intimidating, especially for those of us who have yet to publish our work. But it's well worth your time to maximize your experience. With that in mind, here are some Do's & Don'ts for attending a writers' conference.
"Be so good they can't ignore you." ~Steve Martin
Archetypes are recurring patterns (plot structures, symbols, character types, themes) that occur in mythology, religion, and stories across cultures and time periods. They embody universal meanings and basic human experiences and can evoke unconscious responses in a reader. For writers, archetypes are tools to employ that can deepen a reader's understanding and emotional connection to a character … Continue reading 10 Hero-Character Archetypes
Narrative is the telling of a story, the events and consequences for the characters. Scenes are those passages in a narrative when we, as writers and readers, slow down and focus on an important event in the story so that we are "in the moment" with the characters in action. Scene is Action No matter … Continue reading What is a Scene?
In the market for a new, great How-To book on writing? Well, look no further. I keep my eye out for these because they tend to be a wealth of knowledge and experience, packed with interesting ideas and exercises. And I've found one that I recommend highly. It's a quick, efficient read that'll definitely get … Continue reading My Review of Nancy J. Cohen’s “Writing the Cozy Mystery”
I remember many of the writing teachers I've studied under promoting the virtues of "showing" and not "telling". But what does that mean? They meant that you don't have to tell your readers that the old woman on the park bench is sad; you can show them: The old woman on the park bench wept … Continue reading Verb Pickin’: Showing, Not Telling
These days I've become preoccupied by the idea of having my work published. I know I have the talent, but I've been mired in an extended slump that would have had me, had I been a baseball prospect striving to earn a call-up to the Big Leagues, demoted to a lower rung of the minors. … Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: 10 P’s for Publishing