Photo fun for today.
Can you come up with your own caption?
Here is mine:
“The Journey to Publication”
Fun Fridays – May 3, 2024
Blog
Weaving Subplots Through Your Story
Before I jump into talking about the subplots in the Oliver/Sophia story, I want to talk about subplots in general. Weaving subplots into your story is a delicate process. You want them to enhance the story and not overwhelm it. So, think balance. Here’s how I look at subplots for my stories. First, I identify the main plot. I have a clear picture of the central conflict or theme of my story. This …
Silencing Your Inner Critic
Picture this. The cursor blinks incessantly on the blank screen, a stark reminder that the well of creativity is beyond empty. You sit there, fingers poised over the keyboard; but no words come. Instead, your inner critic begins its relentless assault, questioning your ability to be creative and casting doubt on your worth as a writer. It’s enough to make you wonder if slamming your face …
The Goofy English Language
I stumbled over this poem about odd plurals in the English language. There was no attribution. If you know who wrote it, please let me know so I can give proper credit. Very clever! We’ll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes, But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes. One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese, Yet the plural of moose should never be meese. You may find a lone mouse or a …
Fun Fridays – April 26, 2024
Today’s six-minute video explores the making of paper, from forest to scribe. I have visited large printing press operations and seen the warehouses stacked with massive rolls of paper waiting for use. I eventually learned that different types of paper are key to different types of books. Think about the difference between thin Bible paper and the glossy paper in a magazine like National …
We Have a Failure to Communicate
Recently, I was listening to someone speak to a group of grade school children and was struck by how many words and phrases the kids likely had no idea of their meaning. Even if you speak clearly and slowly, a six-year-old will probably not understand the phrase “Take the left fork in the road,” and much less “substitutionary atonement.” It’s in the same communication category as traveling to …
Fun with Book Terms
I love books (good thing, since I’m a writer and literary agent). I love reading them, of course; but I also love holding them, buying them, touching, holding, smelling, studying, even just seeing them on the shelf. So let’s have some fun with book terms. I find them fascinating. Maybe you will too. Here’s an even dozen: ARC An ARC, or Advanced Reader Copy, is a prepublication copy of a new book …
Music to Write By
Some write in silence. Some write with music in the background. Some write with music playing through their headphones (or earbuds). I’m curious to know what you, our readers, listen to while writing or if you write in silence. In the comments below, let us know your favorites. Maybe we can discover some new musical inspiration together. I read somewhere that Stephenie Meyer, author of the …
I Was Wrong
“I was wrong.” Three words that are really hard to say…especially in public. In the business community and the marketplace, it takes courage to admit mistakes. A Famous “Oops” One of the most famous business mistakes came when Coca-Cola tried to retire the “old Coke” and release a “new Coke” flavor almost exactly forty years ago in April 1985. They shocked the world with a reinvention of their …
Fun Fridays – April 19, 2024
Clever video about a seemingly lowly device. Avoid connecting the metaphor to theological ideas, but they are present. Instead, think of your journey as a writer and the calling you have to use the gift you have been given and leave God’s mark on the world with the work of your hands. Do any of you use a pencil to write your thoughts? If so, what kind of pencil do you use?