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Character Spirituality?
Everyone, between radical to atheist, has experienced 'something' in moments of crisis or glorious amazement. Feelings of Deja vu or unexplainable intuitions are common to humankind. Therefore, as writer, why would I create characters that exist in a void? Where does strength or resolve come from? Will characters chant, meditate, or pray? Will they connect …
The Downside of Critiques
There is a downside to receiving critiques from multiple writers/readers. For example, ten people will have ten different opinions on grammar and views of the story which, although helpful to catch minor issues, also adds discouraging doubts into the mix. I end up revising the story and characters so much I hear my main character screaming, "Leave me alone." …
Generational Word Confusion
The children, in my young adult historical adventure novel, sleep on straw-stuffed pallets in 1775. A young beta reader expressed confusion. She was picturing the wooded structures boxes sit on--SIGH. What is another word for pallet, or how do I give further details without becoming wordy from a 1st person point of view? In other words, "I lay Charlie on …
Go Set A Wat…
According to an article published on International Business Times website, March 12, 2015: "Harper Lee: Elder Abuse And Fraud Charges Investigated By State Of Alabama" by Barbara Herman. The state of Alabama is investigating allegations made by a doctor acquainted with Harper Lee, who claims "she did not seem to be lucid when he visited." He fears Ms. Lee maybe be the …
That Comma Thing
Oscar Wilde is credited with the following quote: "I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again." Source: Definitive analysis of Wilde’s comma remark: http://oscarwildeinamerica.org/quotations/took-out-a-comma.html I try, I really do. But as I read all the rules for when, how, …
It Begins With Passion
The kind of passion family and friends accuse us of being obsessed about because we neglect them at times. We've stayed up too late meeting a deadline, finishing a thought, or tweaking one more sentence. Fellow writers are the only ones who understand. We follow and friend each other for support and higher social media stats. One …
Fling the Manuscript Out the Window
An interesting story is told about Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird (1960), by biographer, Charles J. Shields in his book, Mockingbird (2006) (Summary mine) Sometime before publication, Ms. Lee was struggling with revisions. She opened the window of her apartment and flung the manuscript into the darkness. Years of work scattered in …
So You Want to Write a Novel
Some moment in time the desire entered your mind, "I want to write a novel. How hard can it be?" Well…remember the first time you tried to juggle as kid? "I can to do that," you said. The clown at the circus made it look easy but when you tossed the first ball into the …
Character Conflict
Are you going through a personal conflict? May it resolve into a wonderful conclusion soon. Isn't it ironic to be a writer? Some days you write about fictional characters and other days you live as one.
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