Almost every piece of writing advice I’ve seen lately encourages setting goals to promote productivity. The idea is if you write your goals down on a list, you are more likely to achieve them. I am living proof that writing down goals is not enough. I have a weekly to-do list that I augment with …
Jamuna Advani published The Nurse Hemabati, a short story and poetry anthology written in the Manipuri language. She attended the release in September in Manipur, India. In October she was the chief guest at the foundation day ceremony of the women’s literary organization, LEIKOL. John G. Bluck has released three books: The Knight Prowler …
Connie Hanstedt’s poem, “The Bath,” was a semi-finalist in Naugatuck River Review 9th Narrative Poetry Contest. It was published in Naugatuck River Review, issue 19. Lisa Small won First Prize for her poem, “Tuesday Appointment,” and Second Honorable Mention for “The Balloon Lassoed,” in the short poem category in the annual Maggi H. Meyer Memorial Contest …
I returned from an art quilt retreat to find my writing space covered with random pieces of paper. I shouldn’t have been surprised, because that is the way I left it. Once again, I had succumbed to the oldest lie I tell myself: “I’ll remember this later when I have time to write.” Although I …
Clutter, Creativity, and the Writer’s Mind by Lani Longshore Read More »
RUE–Resist the Urge to Explain. Over-explaining is one of the quickest ways to get your readers to skim. The problem is, no one can define how much backstory is sufficient or can pinpoint the exact place to insert it. This is one of the aspects of craft that can drive even an experienced writer around …
Waiting for inspiration is the death knell to writing. If literary brilliance eludes you, don’t give up; write something fun. I have written one crime novel, one historical fiction, and two travel guides: one to Lake Huron’s shoreline and the other to Lake Michigan’s coast. When it’s hard to create a worthwhile sentence, I switch …
Isaac Asimov wrote that it was easy to predict the income tax, but difficult to predict the expense account. Futurists get a lot of things right, but predicting societal paradigm shifts is more akin to magic than logic. Writers could learn from this. We may be creating the world of our novels, but we are …
Writing What No One Could Predict by Lani Longshore Read More »
Rachael Herron’s most recent book is Fast-Draft Your Memoir. She is the bestselling author of the novels The Ones Who Matter Most (named a 2016 Editor’s Pick by Library Journal), Splinters of Light, and Pack Up the Moon, the Darling Bay and the Cypress Hollow series, and the memoir, A Life in Stitches. Join us on Saturday, June 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Four Points …
Author Rachael Herron Will Speak on Memoir Writing, June 16, 2018 Read More »
Veronica Rossi is a best-selling author of fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, Under the Never Sky, was her first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy. It was deemed one of the Best Books of the Year by School Library Journal. On May 19 Rossi will present a “Vision Workshop” at the Tri-Valley Writers meeting. Rossi says, …
Whatever genre you are working in—fiction or non-fiction, scripts or manuals—the poetic techniques of imagery and metaphor can add color and verve to your style. Even in the most routine of expository tasks, a well-placed word picture or an apt comparison can enliven your prose and aid readability. In this craft talk, award-winning poet and …
David Denny, Making Your Descriptions Pop, April 21, 2018 Read More »
