With all the imbalance going on in our lives today, it’s a good time to think about controlling—balancing—what we can. And if you are writing in verse for young readers balance is an essential element. It needs to be right up there with consideration of characterization, setting, plot, meter and rhyme. As readers, we ofttimes can sense imbalance even if we can’t put our finger on exactly why something feels clunky. For example, the magical number in most western literature … Read More »

If you’re going to write a credible story that your readers will want to invest in, it must be believable. And to be believable, you have to research, research, research! I know it can be tedious, and I sometimes wonder if readers would notice if something is a little “off.” Trust me, they will! There are no shortcuts in this department (even fantasy must be believable), so let research become your best friend and ally! Don’t Turn Them Off! One … Read More »

Earlier this month, before the coronavirus shut everything down, I traveled to St. Petersburg for a freelance writing conference. Besides teaching at a state college in Fort Myers, I also make ends meet by writing for clients. A few hours before the conference started, I had the unique experience of visiting the Salvador Dalí Museum. Not that I’m an expert in fine art or possess the ability to paint something absolutely earth-shattering, but when I have time in a new … Read More »

What is more disappointing than reading a good book—maybe even a first-rate page-turner—and then having the ending fall flat? I recently had that unpleasant experience with a work of a quite renowned author. The result was that I was left with an unsatisfied taste in my mouth as my final memory of the book, which otherwise I would have recommended. Think of an Olympic gymnast: she may perform like an aerial pixie, but if she stumbles on the landing, her … Read More »

In the writing game, sentences are our baseballs. Although not every sentence is a home run, isn’t our goal to hit at least one out of the park? Moving sentences like that requires aim and power. “The sentence is where we must start if we hope to understand why some writing captivates us and other writing leaves us unmoved.” This sound advice is from University of Iowa Professor Dr. Brooks Landon. Just as home runs move fans to stand up … Read More »

February is the month of love – Valentine’s Day and all. I overheard a mother telling me she had to deliver valentines for the entire class at her daughter’s school. That got me to thinking about my own school days and the fact that we didn’t give valentines to everyone. It was a life lesson in anticipation, expectation, and disappointment. The grown-up emotions associated with those days (who knew?) inevitably found a way into my writing. Reciprocated? Oh, the joy! … Read More »