KILLING YOUR DARLINGS – MAKING THE MOST OF IT
“Kill your darlings” is an oft-repeated admonition from seasoned writers to the novice. WHY you kill a character must be based on practical reasons: 1. Slimming down an overpopulated cast, 2. Eliminating characters that do not advance or support the theme. 3. Create a need for retribution or satisfy a moral dilemma, 4. Characters createdContinue reading “KILLING YOUR DARLINGS – MAKING THE MOST OF IT”
Never too Late
A coworker of mine, who doubles as my reader and is also crazy enough to answer when I ask, “Does this seem weird to you?”, reminds me constantly that Maya Angelou’s debut masterpiece I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings wasn’t published until she was 40 years old. She went on to have the typeContinue reading “Never too Late”
Stories We are Losing
D-Day– June 6, 1944. Seventy-seven years ago. A day and date well-remembered in the history books. But too often we forget that allied troops continued to land on the beaches in Normandy for days after the initial assault. And as we simplify this event, we lose sight of individual lives. My father was D-Day plusContinue reading “Stories We are Losing”
Moving beyond the Card Catalog
How many of you have ever googled yourself? Did you find your name in an unlikely place—no, not the most wanted list, but on an unexpected site. In today’s computerized world, such a search yields many sites offering you background information (and criminal records) or addresses or phone numbers—all that public information swirling in cyber space.Continue reading “Moving beyond the Card Catalog”
Grammarchists
Grammarchist (Noun, portmanteau of grammar + anarchist) A writer who blows up language and grammar in ways that startle the reader into a new way of reading. Literature is a collaboration between reader and writer. It’s the writer’s job to entice the reader into participating in the creative process while the reader tacitly agrees toContinue reading “Grammarchists”
Why are reviews so important? Tips and Tricks for Authors
Why reviews matter to readers and authors. More than one thousand books are published every week. With so many choices, readers search on the internet for books to read in the genre they like. They read reviews to get a glimpse at the story and how people feel about the characters. Reviews help the readerContinue reading “Why are reviews so important? Tips and Tricks for Authors”
Honorable Mentions in Our Contest
The theme of our recent contest was Isolation. As we discovered, isolation assumes many forms. We present the three stories chosen for Honorable Mentions. Bite Your Tongueby Nadine Bonner All I want is a piece of tongue. Is that so much? Tongue on rye. With some of that spicy mustard. Makes my mouth waterContinue reading “Honorable Mentions in Our Contest”
Social Media and Writers: Distraction or Attraction?
From fad to a daily activity, social media has changed worldwide social interaction. Websites/Blogs and their various applications and add-ons enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking or marketing and selling their products in ways never seen before. There are even agents, publishers, and a few literary journals thatContinue reading “Social Media and Writers: Distraction or Attraction?”
Book Stack Squats
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Anonymous But how about by its thickness? I’ve been riffling through my bookshelves. “I could swap these two for those three and bring it down a little,” I said. Melissa was passing by the half open office door and stuck her head in. “What? I couldn’t hear you.”Continue reading “Book Stack Squats”
A Unique Planet
Let’s celebrate Earth, our unique planet!Earth with its blue oceans and white clouds is very beautiful. It’s also unique. Why do scientists consider Earth unique even in 2021? Well of course, because it’s the home of so many varieties of life forms and also home to the most complex being we know of to date:Continue reading “A Unique Planet”
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