“How do you write a book?” Robert, a third grader, sent me that question for a video chat I did with his special ed class. Robert’s class is finishing up the opinion pieces they’ve been writing, and are moving next to a unit on literary analysis. They were very excited about “meeting” a real author. …Read More
The Book I’ll Never Write … by Shannon Baker
Someday I’m gonna write a book. It’s going to be all about avoiding writing a book. Or avoiding anything, really. I’ve lived long enough to know that having done something is great. Even doing something has its good points. Having to do something is annoying. Take yoga, for instance. What’s not to love about yoga? …Read More
Naming my characters – the bane of my existence … by Donnell Ann Bell
One of the hardest things I’ve found as a writer is not writer’s block, although it has occurred. I don’t stress over sales, I have no control over that. It also doesn’t bother me to work with my editor. She bluntly lays out her comments; I say, yes, ma’am (97.9 percent of the time) and …Read More
That Breakthrough Moment When You Realize What’s Wrong With Your Manuscript
Hallelujah! I figured it out. I’ve been puzzling over the missing piece in my current novel in progress, making very little progress actually. It wasn’t exactly a sagging middle. And it wasn’t only the lack of kick ass action from my main cop character. It had something to do with two major scenes in the …Read More
A Journalist’s Approach … by Rebecca Grace
Recently I appeared as a guest on a blog and one of the questions was whether I considered writing a passion, a hobby or a job. I didn’t answer that question because I wasn’t sure what to say. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was stumped for just one …Read More
The Story’s “Alter-world” … by Rex Burns
The first and most fundamental question for me in starting a book is “What the heck do I write about now?” A glance down the “books published” column in the Mystery Writers of America newsletter hints at the challenge posed: it’s almost impossible to find a topic that someone hasn’t already written about. OK, refine …Read More
If Something Isn’t Working, Stop Doing It! … by Barbara Graham
When Pat said I could come and play here and voice my opinion (always dangerous), I didn’t have a topic. It’s January and I don’t do resolutions anymore because I always fail to achieve them and they only add guilt to my year. What I do is participate in JaNo. It’s like NaNoWriMo but in …Read More
The Absolute, Total, No Doubt about It, Guide to Writing … by Richard Keller
Pat, thank you for allowing me to grace your website once again. I have to apologize for the graffiti I drew on the bus posters for your upcoming book. Oh, those were photos of Nora Roberts? I couldn’t tell them apart. I should have, because you’re much more beautiful than Ms. Roberts. Um, please don’t …Read More
Holy cow, look out! Nugent’s got a laptop! … by Chris J. Nugent
That dude with the full beard who wrote the stories about the sea and people and most of it while drunk made me do it. Well, more accurately once I read a quote that said “Write drunk, edit sober,” I pretty much had free license to do as I pleased with pen, paper and booze …Read More
Descriptive Writing Using All of the Senses … by Holly Michael
Good writing draws the reader into the story by engaging all senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Recently, I submitted the first chapter of my work in progress—my sequel to Crooked Lines—to my critique group. My crit partner said, “I’m not hearing anything.” I returned to my WIP and considered what Rebecca would hear, …Read More
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