Over half of our communication is done with body language, not words. I study it so I can characterize the people in my books–their actions, hand gestures, facial expressions–and it has taught me a lot about reading people’s interior monologue–those ideas they don’t want to share, but inadvertently do. Even the best speakers have a … Continue reading
Often in my novels, I use digital devices to create havoc in my plot. There are so many ways to do that–electronic eavesdropping, cloning smartphones, stealing wifi signals–that I now keep a list of the devices and purposes. See if any of these motivate–or frighten–you. A note: These are all from novels I’ve read and … Continue reading
As part of my writer’s resources, I post lists of descriptions that have jogged my creativity and helped me write about this and that more cleverly. One of the most challenging jobs as a writer–IMHO–is representing how people talk in the cultural nuances of their geographic area. I’m not talking about a native language–a Russian … Continue reading
For the next few months, weekly writing tips will revolve around word choice. That includes: colorful and original descriptions pithy words and phrases picture nouns and action verbs writing that draws a reader in and addicts them to your voice I keep a collection of descriptions that have pulled me into the books. I’m fascinated … Continue reading
This is the next in the occasional “How to Write Descriptions” series. If you’re a writer, you know what I mean. You can’t just say, The dog laid down at my feet and fell asleep. That’s boring. It tells the reader nothing about how cute the dog is, how innocent his sleep was, how you … Continue reading
This is the ninth in the “How to Write Descriptions” series. When you’re writing about your protagonist, you want the reader to see them–their clothes, shoes, the scarf they wear, that old-fashioned belt buckle that shines in the sunlight. These images will engage readers in the plot as they watch a movie inside their brain, … Continue reading
In the past quarter, I’ve posted about 40 articles on topics ranging from writer resources, how-to’s, descriptors, and opinions. I like to step back a few times a year and determine what readers are most interested in. WordPress makes that easy with their statistics. Here’s this period’s run-down: 51 Great Similes to Spark Imagination 178 Ways … Continue reading
This is the next in the “How to Write Descriptions” series. I like to collect descriptions other people have of life. I keep them on a big spreadsheet that I’m constantly updating. I read a lot and I pay attention to how my fellow authors get their ideas across, how they create pictures of scenery … Continue reading
This is the next in the “How to Write Descriptions” series. Landscape descriptions are many and varied, so I’ll just touch on a few. These, as usual, come from writing I admire, so don’t copy them. Use them to inspire your own creativity: Open land Flat, dry, and monotonous, a seemingly limitless scrub waste without … Continue reading
How do you communicate to Western world readers the uncivilized, nature-controlled land that is Africa. If your story includes an African setting, you must get that untamed, mysterious feel across or you lose credibility. Here are a few books you can read that will drench you in the scents and colors of Africa: In the … Continue reading
