Category Archives: Writing

A Word About Mechanics

Posted on May 21, 2017 by

I’m talking about writing mechanics, not the folks who keep our cars running. (That’s a whole different breed of magic about which I’m not qualified to comment.) Of all the many things a novice writer can do to improve his … Continue reading →

Posted in editing, novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Scoop on the Scouts

Posted on May 14, 2017 by

Sorry, this isn’t about kid scouting. It’s about horn-blowing. My own, actually. And something called Kindle Scout. And my new book. More about that anon. One of the hardest things for independent authors to do is self-promote. Doing it well … Continue reading →

Posted in novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Trust Your Readers!

Posted on May 7, 2017 by

After all, they trusted you enough to buy your book. Let’s back up a step or two. Just who are these people who took a chance on your ability to string nouns and verbs together in an entertaining fashion? Where … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir, novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Formula fiction? Me? Never!

Posted on April 30, 2017 by

Okay, not never. In fact, always. Why? ‘Cause it works. There are certain things fiction readers crave, but the item sitting at the top of the list is simply this: a rousing good tale. It needn’t even be original. But it … Continue reading →

Posted in novel writing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Psychology of the Page

Posted on April 23, 2017 by

If you’re a reader, you’ve probably looked at a million pages. If your reading material of choice tends to be hard-copy novels (paperbacks or hardbacks) as opposed to digital books, you have no say in how the page looks. What … Continue reading →

Posted in novel writing, Writing | 4 Comments

I’ve Got This Great Idea For A Book!

Posted on April 12, 2017 by

Now, where do I start? Most writers have some clue about the story they want to write. If they’ve been down the writing road before, they’ll most likely just dive in and start working. Those folks, of course, are pantsers, … Continue reading →

Posted in novel writing, Writing | 4 Comments

The Dos and Don’ts to Dialog Tags

Posted on April 9, 2017 by

I’m pleased to offer the following writerly advice from Ryan Lanz whose blog on the craft (see links at end of article) have helped many beginning writers. And, I’m pleased to note, we pretty much agree on every point! I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest posts, Writing | 2 Comments