Category: revising

  • Writing a Strong Scene

    Writing a Strong Scene

    Have you ever written a scene and wondered if it was good enough? What criteria can you use to determine whether that scene is strong or weak? Here’s a writing infographic from xterraweb.com on writing strong scenes. Photo by Mary Taylor from Pexels

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    Well, I’ve done it. I’ve used two of my favorite things in juxtaposition: Bullet Journalling Evernote I started using Evernote to do my Bullet Journal. If you aren’t familiar with either and are interested in organizing your life, I recommend them both. Meanwhile, here are some articles on writing I’ve come across lately: How To…

  • Plot: What’s It All About?

    Plot: What’s It All About?

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    Writing a novel, or even a short story, can be daunting. “I’ll never finish.” “I don’t have time.” “I’m not a good writer.” Everyone who writes fiction feels this way at times. Here are some habits I’ve picked up along the way to keep me from feeling overwhelmed: I email a scene idea to myself.…

  • Some Writing Tools

    Some Writing Tools

    When I taught college English courses and creative writing classes, I came across a book by Roy Peter Clark called Free to Write: A Journalist Teaches Young Writers. It’s out of print now, but this book offered me a treasure trove of writing instruction for my college students. Recently, I found the infographic below and…

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    My WIP, a novel called Oblivion’s Hope, is written in first person point-of-view (POV). I’ve been looking for some advice on maximizing the use of first person POV, and it just so happens a book I’m currently reading, Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk, offers a great tip on using the first person: “… Submerge the…

  • Finding forrester. Again.

    Finding forrester. Again.

    Twenty years ago, one of my favorite movies about a writer was filmed. This weekend, I’m going to watch it again after not seeing it for a long time. I haven’t been able to go to the movie theatre in person all year because of COVID-19, so I’ve been streaming movies every weekend. I decided…

  • Am I Crazy?

    Am I Crazy?

    I haven’t blogged much for the past two weeks because I’ve been busy finishing my latest episode for my space opera series Consortium. The third book should be coming out July 15. I’ll post on here when it is available for pre-order. So, I have a few writing projects (or works-in-progress, as writers say) on…

  • Writing Style Outcasts: Passive Voice

    Writing Style Outcasts: Passive Voice

    You may have heard using the passive voice is “incorrect.” In fiction writing, however, the passive voice can be used. It is not so much incorrect as “When is it appropriate?” Before discussing the answer to that question, I’d like to offer a brief review of the difference between passive voice and active voice. Sentences…