Tag Archives: Writing

Thoughts on teaching–a retrospective. (Encore)

I originally posted this about ten years, fifteen books, and many, many classes ago. I believe it’s still relevant and may be of interest. When I first declared myself a writer, long ago, I had no idea what the future … Continue reading

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Williamsburg woes, part 2 (details from a decade ago)

It turns out I’m not done with the whole Colonial Williamsburg thing. In fact, I recall staying awake nights fretting about newly discovered details (new for me, anyway) concerning life in the 18th century as I worked on my Revolutionary … Continue reading

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How much is enough? (A 10-Year-Old Replay for a Reason)

I first posted this about ten years ago. I wrote it while putting the finishing touches on what is quite possibly the best book I’ve ever written. Anyway, there is a very strong possibility that I will be relaunching said … Continue reading

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Why teach? (Encore)

There are a great many reasons why I teach, but I suspect the most important one is that it makes me feel good. I don’t know if that qualifies as weird or not, and frankly, I don’t care. I don’t … Continue reading

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What’s a tree? (Encore)

My niece, a medical receptionist, witnessed something inspiring not long ago in the waiting room at the doctor’s office where she works. There were a number of people waiting to see the doctor, and among them was a little girl … Continue reading

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Arty rules are rubbery (Encore edition)

It’s not that I hate saying it; I hate having to say it. Arty rules are rubbery. When writing, whether for a fiction market or in a memoir, the rules aren’t immutable. They weren’t etched in granite via lightning strike or by … Continue reading

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I know I’m repeating myself, but in case you missed this yesterday, TODAY is the day!

Hopefully, I’m not wearing my faithful out with repeated posts about Hyde and Zeke, but I can’t help it. I’ve started getting reviews, and they’ve been very positive, which is good because I think this is one of the best … Continue reading

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One Day Only! (Man, talk about old school…)

Seriously? Is anyone still doing that anymore? Well, yeah. Me! Hopefully, I’m not wearing my faithful out with repeated posts about Hyde and Zeke, but I can’t help it. I’ve started getting reviews, and they’ve been very positive, which is … Continue reading

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Idea mining. [Encore]

The process of creating character motivations, actions, and consequences naturally demands ideas, and this is where weak, uninspired and/or derivative plots evolve. I rarely trust the first idea I have for anything. I urge all writers, and most especially beginning … Continue reading

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What am I doing here when I could be writing? (Encore)

Most of the fiction writers I know would rather work on new material than spend their energy promoting completed projects. I’ve had agents; I’ve had publishers, and I’ve generated material independently, but no matter how my stories went public, they … Continue reading

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