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Showing posts 61 to 70 (163 total)

Writing without Fear (July 10, 2016)

Two months into our new home in Central Oregon, Sweetie and I feel like we're finally settling down. We've arranged the furniture, made friends with the neighbors, and learned our way around the area. Last week I went shopping without looking up directions first, and I didn't get lost once! More »

New Job, New Home (May 1, 2016)

This blog has been on haitus for a few weeks, and will be for another few weeks, because I'm moving! Tomorrow I start my new job at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. More »

Stage Directions, My Latest Pet Peeve (March 25, 2016)

Turning, moving, looking...these things work on the stage and in film, but not in books. In books, stage directions are boring and hard to follow, and they distract from more important information. More »

Show, but Sometimes Tell (March 20, 2016)

The advice to "show, don't tell" doesn't mean you should give visual descriptions of everything. Rather, it means you should provide solid evidence of characters' thoughts and feelings through their choices and experiences. More »

Thoughts on Conflict and Tension (March 2, 2016)

Conflict creates tension, the excitement an audience feels when anticipating how characters will react to a situation. Tension is what makes fiction interesting and addictive. More »

The Benefits of Outlining (February 20, 2016)

Writers have intense feelings about outlining. Some love it and actively advocate for it, while others despise it with a startling passion. To me, outlining is like exercising. I don't love or hate exercising; it's simply something I must do to stay healthy. I don't love or hate outlining, either; it's simply something I must do to write good stories. More »

Writing That Sounds Like Writing (January 31, 2016)

Writing that sounds like writing uses a lot of flowery adjectives and adverbs, clever wordplay, and million-dollar words in long compound-complex sentences. It prioritizes poetry and wit over coherence. More »

Beware the Itchy Twitter Finger (January 20, 2016)

These days, it's so easy to lash out online that people don't bother to hold back. Then they're blindsided by the consequences. More »

Faux Strength in Female Characters (January 17, 2016)

Not every heroine needs to be strong, but if you intend to write a strong heroine, you should do it properly. You can't just put her in combat boots and call it a day. More »

2016 Goals (January 3, 2016)

Last night Sweetie asked me what my 2016 goals are. In general, making New Year's resolutions doesn't work for me because I have a capricious character. If I get a bright idea to accomplish something but don't act on it immediately, I forget about it, or lose interest, or get cold feet. "Tomorrow" or "sometime this year" or "one of these days" usually translates to "never." More »