Category: my novel’s progress
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Friday’s Findings: What Not to Tell
“Good writers may ‘tell’ about almost anything in fiction except the characters’ feelings . . . Fear, love, excitement, doubt, embarrassment, despair become real only when they take the form of events—action (or gesture), dialogue or physical reaction to setting. Detail is the lifeblood of fiction.” -John Gardner Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/collage-photo-of-woman-3812743/ My Linktree
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Friday’s Findings: The Cat and the Snowflake
In my last post, I discussed using the Snowflake Method simultaneously with the Save the Cat beats to develop a story and end up with a first draft. I expanded this idea with an Excel spreadsheet that can be downloaded. Or if you prefer, right click on the graphic below to expand it. Once the image…
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Can Save the Cat and the Snowflake Method be Used Together? Simultaneously?
I’ve taken most of the summer off from writing blog posts to concentrate on my writing projects. Now summer vacations are over, and school is back in session, I’ve decided to get back into posting. Right click to enlarge. To see step-by-step instructions on using this graphic, click here. A thought occurred to me: as…
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Friday’s Findings: Wildcat
I recently saw the movie Wildcat, which was directed by Ethan Hawke. Wildcat told the story of Flannery O’Connor who navigated her writing career as she dealt with lupus. I could identify with O’Connor who had to endure the obstacle of her stories being misinterpreted. Everyone wants a story to be pretty. O’Connor wrote dark…
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Some Books on Writing Craft
A book on fiction writing is ideal because you’re getting a course in writing at your fingertips. You can read or listen to the book at your own convenience. And best of all, you don’t have to take a final. Unless finishing your story is the final. Anyway, here are some books on the writing…
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No Filter Words: An Easy Way to Improve Your Writing
I am always looking for quick and easy ways to improve my writing. I know there are plenty of long and hard ways: years of practice; studying writing of established authors; hours of self-editing and so much more. So, let’s talk about a relatively quick way to give your writing more punch: Get rid of…
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RIP Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge wrote one of my all-time favorite science fiction novels: A Fire Upon the Deep. This story is filled with the most original alien species I’ve come across in reading sf. With deep space chase scenes, swashbuckling action from planet to planet, Fire defines space opera like no other. Photo by Eduraw Pro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lago-de-estrellas-20761228/…
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Oblivion’s Hope: The Stares
The Stares is the latest episode of Oblivion’s Hope. Read it here. Phia makes some connections about all the kidnappings of Questicas across the Consortium. She also finds an unread message from the message Jad’s brother sent. About Oblivion’s Hope How far would you go to save your best friend? His world turned upside down,…
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Show Up
“Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too.” – Isabel Allende Photo by Steve Johnson: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-green-orange-and-yellow-abstract-painting-1109352/ My Linktree
Andrew M. Friday 