Writers, whether plotters or pantsers, inevitably get stuck somewhere along the way in the creation of their story and struggle to find a way forward. It’s a situation I’m familiar with, and it brought to mind a Robert Burns quote: “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” So, what’s a writer to do other than stare at the screen like a zombie for hours on end or throw their hands in the air and walk away in … Read More »

Titles are so important. After noticing the cover and spine art, what’s the next thing a reader looks at? Maybe the author’s name, but certainly, the title. It’s got to catch the eye of the beholder. Which would you rather read: Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss or When to Use the Oxford Comma? Com’on, unless you’re a total punctuation nerd, you’ll head toward Eats, Shoots and Leaves. It’s a grabber. We don’t know if someone is shooting a … Read More »

Silence. Try to picture it: a novel with no dialogue. That would seem cold and distant indeed. Dialogue is showing, not telling what the characters think. It gives us their own tricks of speech, carries the weight of their emotions, lets us literally hear their own voices. Well done, it adds to the force and immediacy of the story. But if we neglect it, dialogue can drag down the pace, unravel the characterizations, even take readers out of the fictional … Read More »

Successful stories take readers by the hand and invite them into the multi-sensory world the writer has created. Integrating as many senses as possible is critical to helping readers invest in the story and what is happening from one sentence/scene/chapter to the next. However, it requires a delicate touch to avoid bombarding the plot with in your face, obvious attempts at integrating the fabulous five: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. Let’s whip up a batch of lasagna and see … Read More »

Picture books are jewels in the world of literature; artistic, fun, informative, and full of heart-shine. One important aspect is that they are short. Many publishers insist on less than 500 words. Yet they must have characterization, plot, setting, theme, and mood—all the same things a 90,000-word novel has. The other thing they must do is grab and retain the interest of young minds. Those minds are racing at phenomenal speed. It’s a tricky business to get that young reader … Read More »

Before you think I’m starting the New Year with a toast to the soldiers of many an ancient war, let’s reflect for a minute on our antecedents. Grammatical antecedents, that is. You know: the identifying name or noun to which a pronoun refers. John petted his dog. Whose dog? John’s, but fortunately you don’t have to say John petted John’s dog, because the proximity and word order tells you that his is a reference to John. Simple and straightforward. No … Read More »