Moving

I had every intention of crafting some well thought out piece for my blog tonight, but instead, you'll have to settle for a low-key diatribe about what's been on my mind the most lately: moving.

Characterization: Add a Touch of Grey

I'm sure all of us at one time or another has wished for things to be simple. A or B. Yes or no. Black or white. We get caught up in the grey so often that we often seek some monochromatic stability. Well, that's all well and good for the real world, but this is fiction we're talking about, and no one wants to read about a world of absolutes.

Top 5 Writing Fears to Overcome

We all have fears about writing. Some of us stop in our tracks because of them. If you're going to be a successful writer, you've got to overcome your fears, plain and simple.

Great, Kid. Don’t Get Cocky.

It’s a classic line from a classic movie. Luke Skywalker (you know, from a little movie called Star Wars?) has just bagged his first enemy bogey and is just a giddy little Jedi wannabe before Han Solo turns around and tells him where he can stick his can of happy powder. It’s good to give yourself a little pat on the back every now and then, just don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Bad Dialogue! No Cookie!

Ah yes, we’ve been here before. That moment where the exposition has ended and it’s the characters’ time to open their mouths and carry the story. This is where the story takes off. This is where the characters reveal themselves. This is where the reader falls asleep, or worse, closes the book. “He had me up until the characters started speaking…then the invisible wall was removed and I could see the author plain as day.”

Frustration

There comes a time when all you want to do is walk away. It happens to all of us, at one time or another. In life, it can mean major changes are ahead. But, for writing, it may be a necessary part of the process.

Schooley's

I went on a hike today in an old stomping ground. It had been at least ten years since I’d been there. It was my 4-year-old son’s first trip there. Here was this place that brought back a plethora of memories, and I had ignored it for years.

Rushed

So, something occurred to me today when I read a fellow writer’s blog, and it really has nothing to do with writing. More about life. But, I said this blog was going to about more than writing, so here goes.

Tools of the Trade

The ability to communicate in written language has come a long way since letters were chiseled into stone tablets. What the ancients might have given for copy and paste or spell-check! Today, our most archaic and commonly used form may be the reliable pen/pencil and paper. And, there's nothing wrong with that. But, let's face it...they're looking more and more like the chisel and stone tablet of our day.

"Writer's Block" or Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

Let’s dispel a myth here. Let’s shine a light on the boogeyman in the closet…that’s really just your raincoat hanging at a funny angle. Say it with me, “There’s no such thing as writer’s block…there’s no such thing as writer’s block…there’s no such thing as writer’s block.” Feel better? No? Well, suck it up and read on.

Word count

Do a search on Google for “how long should a novel be,” and you’ll come up with some interesting answers: 200,000 is boring, 50,000 to 60,000 is for young adult, and “as long as it needs to be.” And while this last answer may be the most vague and accommodating, it may also be the most true.