Category: How To and Tips
Are Writers Being Taught To “Dumb-Down” Their Technique For The Reader?
Are writers being taught to “dumb-down” their technique for the reader? I ask because, what is up with saying a story, chapter, or a section of a chapter has to be written from only one person’s point of view? When did that become “gospel?” For years, I’ve been reminded in classroom settings of this, preached at by […]
My Publishing Journey: Phyllis L Humby
A writer’s life is indeed a journey and despite the potholes and detours, the scenery makes the trip worthwhile. Years later, though I hadn’t attracted a traditional publisher enroute, my efforts had fulfilled me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Only a seasoned writer can make that statement with conviction. Let me explain. I was eager […]
On writing: Jessica Winters Mireles
A guest post by Jessica Winters Mireles, Author of the novel, Lost in Oaxaca As a middle-aged woman of fifty-seven (or “Boomer” as my children mockingly refer to me lately) I’m arriving quite late to my career as a writer. Most of us were told that if we hadn’t published a novel by age thirty, […]
Tinseltown or Bust? The Hollywood Dream, Part Two
Read Part One HERE With new book-to-film opportunities springing up, it seems you can not only publish your book, but also venture into the world of TV and film without an agent or a traditional contract. Is it really as easy as it seems? Pipeline is an established US based contest taking scripts, short stories, […]
What Mama Brings to the Cradle By Irene Kessler
When we write there is always a bit of us in there, but as I look back on this book, my debut novel Mountain of Full Moons, I realize there were many things in my life that inspired what I put in writing. It even surprised me. The strange thing is that the words came […]
FINDING INSPIRATION IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
By Judith Keim Writers are the worst eavesdroppers, the worst snoops! Why? Because, if we pay attention, there are stories all around us. It can be as simple as overhearing someone say, “Well, I finally got that done!” Wow! There are a million stories in that one sentence. Who? What? Where? Why? And if someone […]
The New Coming of Age
First kisses. First loves. First rejection. First time experimenting with [fill in the blank]. First time knowing how to actually apply and wear eyeliner. Once you’ve passed the test of puberty and scaled the morbid walls of middle school, high school is often hailed as the “coming-of-age” period in an individual’s life. At least so […]
Debunking The Biggest Stereotypes About Erotic Writers
Not a week goes by that I don’t receive explicit come-ons via email or Facebook from people who discover that I write and edit erotica. Sometimes it’s dick pics, sometimes it’s intimate details of their lives, sometimes it’s simply discussing sex in a way that’s utterly inappropriate without my consent. The implication of these messages […]
10 Reasons To Be Less Productive During A Pandemic
1. You fear dying. Especially if you’re as much of a hypochondriac as I am. When I woke up with a headache, sore throat, and the dreaded DRY COUGH a couple of weeks ago, I feared the worst. I spent the next two days drinking lots of fluids, taking my (resolutely normal) temperature, and checking […]
What’s at Stake in Your Novel?
By Jill Caugherty What keeps readers riveted to a favorite novel, compulsively turning the pages? Sure, fast-paced action with car chases, gun fights, drug deals gone awry, and racy sex scenes might help, but many writers of character-driven fiction don’t rely on these techniques to ratchet up the tension. Instead, we often create conflict, and […]
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