Language works on many levels: literal, metaphorical, poetical. As writers, we must beware of the breadth of its uses, and it behooves us to be comfortable with all of them. A strict commercial writer (think freelance articles for magazines) would do well to understand nuances of poetry, for example. This kind of study only makes your writing stronger. A poet should learn how to lay out a…
Most published authors can't avoid the interview question--where do your ideas come from? The frequently give the simple (often maddening to beginning writers) reply of "Everywhere." If you've read or listened to interviews, you'll hear stories of inspiration striking authors while driving, taking a shower, mowing their lawn, eating lunch...insert mundane activity here. But they're right. A person who is actively searching for inspiration, and dedicated to faithfully recording the…
Tangible objects are among the most important components of a powerful story. An object can be anything and can represent anything. It might be a treasure, an item of power, a symbol of doom, a testament of love, a secret of life-shaking identity. Think about objects in movies or famous books that have rendered the story powerful. A favorite of mine is the rose in Beauty and the Beast…
Last week I received my first writing review with some serious professional clout. As you know if you've been following this blog, I was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards this year for my novel Moonlight and Oranges, which is a huge honor and a nice pat on the back. I'd never made it this far in a large contest before. After the quarter-finals, comes…