Many are the joys, and many the horrors, of slang and jargon in writing. Knowing when and how to apply them can elevate or doom the work. The two are kissing cousins but are not the same. Slang (such as “kissing cousins”) is informal language used more in everyday speech than in formal writing and is  associated with particular groups. Jargon refers to the technical terminology of a given profession or activity. Both can be your friends. Most likely, they’ll … Read More »

I frequently give a presentation on point of view in writing, explaining the big and little techniques for avoiding and escaping viewpoint traps. One aspect that often gets overlooked is staying true to the viewpoint character’s voice. We have viewpoint options. In simplest terms, first person, second person, and third person, but variations exist. Unless you’re writing a story in third person objective — that is, a non-subjective camera point of view, or the proverbial fly on the wall, in … Read More »

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, its annual rites pointing us to the coming Spring, that glorious season when birds sing and bees hum, amorous glances are exchanged, and love and romance lilt delicately in the air. Wait a second. Let’s think about the word “romance.” As analytical writers consumed with the meanings of words, why do we call things about love romantic? Like most good stories, it’s an unusual, twisty tale. The secret is in the root of the … Read More »

I give a lecture on occasion on building suspense in fiction, and touch briefly on applying techniques of fictional suspense to nonfiction. Characters, motivation, surprise, conflict, pacing … the same building blocks that bring fiction to life can also electrify nonfiction. If you break down nonfiction bestsellers you’ll find this true. Fabulous examples abound. The Lost City of Z (2009) by David Grann. Dead Wake (2015) by Erik Larson. In the Heart of the Sea (2000), by Nathaniel Philbrick. Let’s … Read More »

As we celebrate another holiday season, gift-giving tops our to-do lists. As writers—and this may be preaching to the choir—we have a perspective on that both personal and universal. Most of us have books on our wish lists. We want books, and constant reading anchors our growth as writers. But asking for books also helps keep afloat our industry, the industry of the written word. When our friends and families buy us those books, book people—writers, publishers, editors, agents, readers, … Read More »

I’m a bit of a research geek. I love learning new things. Facts. Theories. I don’t get it when a writer complains about all the research that has to be done. But I’ve found that researching the stuff I don’t know is easier than researching what I do know. Because it turns out that many things I know are simply wrong. For a story about 17th century Ireland, I huddled over maps, read the histories of the region, the politics … Read More »