Joining a critique group brings an end to the arrogant delusion of, "I have written a great story." In fact, I'm discovering some hard, and down right scary, things about myself. Scary fact one: My main character lacks emotional responses to events and family members. Should I be in intense therapy? Why is this so …
Life is Messy…
Some days, you just have to spread everything across the floor and sort it out. My work in progress is a YA Historical Adventure, requiring abundant research notes, maps, and an accurate timeline for the plot. My head was about to explode. It reminds me of laundry day when my three, close in age, young …
The Perfect Parent Myth
The fact that you worry over being a good parent, means you are. But I understand the frustrations and doubts. Your child steals something, bullies someone, fails in school, you name it, and it has to be the parents fault, right. Hogwash—you've corrected them, cuddled them, and sent them to counselors. In exasperation, you've yelled, cried, and …
Antagonists: Mr. Punch is Not Nice
I watched my first Punch and Judy puppet show on YouTube—the gritty, not for children, version. And I have to say, some days I wish I had a slap stick, which would make me someone's antagonist, but there are people in this world who need a good whack. Mr. Punch lost favor with parents through the …
Scrivener Brain Version?
Scrivener stores, organizes, compiles, and so much more. I use the Windows version and love it. Now, if only there were a brain version. I can dream... In the mean time, I'm enjoying the tutorial YouTube videos by Karen Prince. Happy writing!
Lay/Laid and Lie/Lain
I made up this dialogue quip to keep them straight. "Lay the object down now." "I laid the object down yesterday." "I have laid the object down every day." "Don't lie." "I'm going to lie down now." "I lay down last night." "I have lain many times." Even though fictional stories are most often written in …
Why Write Mini-Memoirs?
Short answer: If you don't understand where you've been, you may not know why you're here. There is no one else like you. Your writing style, genre, themes, character creation, morals or lack of, are a reflection of your life. Which events had the most impact? Why do these particular memories stand out? What did …
Learning From Picky Readers
Call me weird, but I read one star ratings before choosing a book to read from Amazon. Some authors complain that competitor authors troll and leave bad reviews. I have no idea about that, but I find the brutally honest one star reviews point out characterization and plot flaws. With the bad side pointed out, …
Little Moments
It's those little moments of recognition, acknowledgment, or words of encouragement that inspire writers to bare their souls to the world. Write to touch or humor--even if only one.
Sentence Structure Is Like
Today, I like the sentence this way. Tomorrow, I might like it that way. A month from now, it could change all together, Or disappear forever.
Phyllis A. Still 