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
New Years–a time for rest, rejuvenation and repair. A time to assess life. Do we settle into our routine, enjoy where it’s headed, or is it time to grab our purse, our iPhone, our car keys, and get out of there? Here are my resolutions this year. Lots of them! I break it down into … Continue reading
Since I started this blog five-and-a-half years ago, I’ve had almost 900,000 visitors, 3300 on my busiest day, visiting the 1,097 articles I’ve written on every facet of writing. I have several columns: writer’s tips (sign up by clicking here) book reviews (Fridays) tech tips for writers (occasional) In between, I write what’s on my … Continue reading
This post is for Alex Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writers Support Group (click the link for details on what that means and how to join. The first Wednesday of every month, we all post our thoughts, fears or words of encouragement for fellow writers. This month’s insecurity – Am I creative enough? When I was younger, I … Continue reading
The big news at IWSG is that the anthology is out! Tapping into the expertise of over a hundred talented authors from around the globe (including one from me), The The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond (235 pages) contains something for every writer. Whether you are starting out and need tips … Continue reading
Any writer who has come of age in the era of social media knows authors do a lot more than write books. We have three big jobs: writing–includes our WIP, blog posts, articles, freelance work–anything that gets our name out there as a writer and lets us practice our art. On a good day, this … 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 post is for Alex Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writers Support Group (click the link for details on what that means and how to join. You will also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge that are worth checking out like Rebecca who inspired me to begin). The first Wednesday of every month, we … Continue reading
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it, but you know you’ve done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer’s tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make … Continue reading
I got these suggestions from an internet class I never signed up for. One day, they began arriving in my inbox, bit by bit for the full term of some college’s semester. Students submitted stories for grading, essays for peer review, questions to a discussion board of fellow-students. The anonymous professor had a down-to-earth approach … Continue reading
