When you write a series, you hope your readers will start the journey as you did — with the first book. That may not always be the case. Readers may pick up a book midway through the series or find one out of sequence that grabs their attention. As a writer, it’s your challenge to ensure that any book in a series is a satisfying, engaging experience. Stand Alone This may seem contradictory to the concept of a series, but … Read More »

We all want our book to crackle with excitement, to race to the finish so breathlessly that the reader can’t put it down. But we still need enough emotional and physical description to make her care about the characters. Just as we’re always told to show rather than tell in our narration, we need a certain amount of showing and telling in a dialogue scene. Every author has a different balance, and that’s part of what makes up their style. … Read More »

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 »