Archive for October, 2009

Writing is something that is more than just a job for some of us… it is more of a calling. It has also been defined as a “craft”, meaning that there is a set of skills that can be learned and practiced. While this is true to an extent, the “art” of writing is...

What I am going to tell you here will be obvious to some readers, but to others, perhaps not. There are two objectives that any piece of writing has, only two, and this is true for either fiction or non-fiction. All writing exists either to: 1. Educate (self or others); and/or, 2. Entertain (self...

Have you ever been writing a story and come up against a scene and been at a loss as to what to write or how to handle the specifics of a scene? Whether you are a detailed plotter or someone who likes to just sit down and write freeform, a story is made up...

Have you ever had a wonderful plan to write something, a scene or a section of your fantastic novel, and then not been able to carry it off? You know, you are on a long drive or out running errands and stuck in traffic and it comes to you, “Eureka!” you cry, “now I...

A writer friend of mine recently had a dilemma about a novel she has been working on for quite awhile. She’d written close to 700 pages of material and felt the story was bogged down but had some great scenes and parts. She wasn’t sure if she should abandon it and begin again. I...