In the beginning...Once upon a time...There once was a boy... Although many stories begin with interesting beginnings, it seems quite easy for a storyteller to get caught up in the "and then" action that propels the hero into the battle that faces him and the victory (we hope) that he enjoys at the end of the action. I want to talk about the concept of setting up…
How in the world am I supposed to write, rewrite, edit, market myself, blog, find an agent, network and find time for the seemingly hundreds of things that writers are "supposed to do" in order to establish themselves and win the great trophy of the title published? (For those of you who can relate to this, it may be an appropriate time to tear at your hair).…
Looking at the world through another's eyes can be enchanting, funny, disturbing or profound. Christopher Boone's avid attention to detail in this first-person canine murder mystery makes this story both funny and heartwarming. A dog is discovered brutally skewered with a garden rake in the yard of Christopher's next door neighbor. His investigations follow the logic of Christopher's revered Sherlock Holmes and continue dig up more trouble than answers, but he does not…
All right everyone, put on your thinking caps. I'm considering the ways we prefer to be inspired. At a WOTS steering committee meeting last night we were debating the theme for our next year's writing contest. Entrants are given a word or phrase which they must use to form their work of fiction, poetry or non-fiction. Last night we narrowed our choices down to two words, which for now shall be locked away in my secret…
I'm rooting for the hero. I'm hoping to learn some deep truth, even at the cost of emotional pain for the hero and also for myself, because I tend to read with empathy. I reach the final page and I realize the story has ended without any resolution of the sorrow. The ending has no consolation to offer me. I've just finished reading The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, a…