There's a mental shift for writers when they start calling themselves an author of a book. Many writers seem to find some magic in the term, some kind of promise in the word. If you are among the group of authors with only one published book, there's good news. That's all it takes to call [...]
There's a problem with doing something well: Once is rarely enough. When you do something well, two things can happen: Other people begin to expect more of you, and You begin to expect more of yourself For a writer, this can be great. A well-done piece deserves the admiration it receives, and you [...]
Writing emotions is complicated. Do all your characters' emotions make sense? Tips for writing fiction and nonfiction.
Understand Personality to Connect with Audience & Write Strong Characters Who are your readers? Who are your characters? How do you connect them? In essence, this is the challenge of the fiction writer -- replacing real people with believable ones, and then somehow making them real for the real ones. The connections? Personality. (Not even [...]
Emotion breaks across the page in poetry. I examine how Charles Bukowski hid vulnerability in his strength.
Readers think they're smart. Be prepared to go Gonzo rather than trying to trick them.
Use chance and luck to explore subtle nuances of a character's choices and fufill their destiny.
Do you remember the basics of food in your writing? How to use food to connect with your readers.
Realistically, not all conversations between characters of the same gender revolve around the opposite gender.
Silence as a space to be filled or cherished - the very idea made me think. Isn't silence already full?