A language lesson in todays’ video. Enjoy!
However, don’t go swimming near sharks with this group if you are English-only. One will shout, “Shark!” The others will shout, “Hi!”
Blog
Thematic Reading Brings Dramatic Results
Years ago, I stumbled on an idea that has greatly enriched my reading: thematic reading. That is, each year I’ll choose a handful of books to read that are related in some way (topic, character, setting, etc.). One year, I read two classic novels back-to-back, which were fascinating to compare and contrast: Jane Eyre (Bronte) and Rebecca (du Maurier). Another time, I re-read a personal …
Don’t Rely on Memories
Authors of historical novels may be tempted to rely on stories from friends and relatives to add truth to their words. After all, they were there, so they should remember, right? Maybe. Maybe not. I know how unreliable memory can be, and the truth came to light when I tried to retell a story about my husband’s and my courtship that our daughters hadn’t heard. I was delighted by the opportunity …
Novel Writing Craft: More Conflict
Welcome back, friends. I’ve talked a lot about conflict, but I have a few more tips to offer; then I’m going to move on to story structure. Here’s are a few more suggestions for how to deepen the conflict in your story. Empathize with Your Antagonist I’m sorry, what?? Empathize with him or her? Well, yes. Because think about it. Even antagonists believe they’re in the right. Even the …
E Is for Editor
Your editor can be your best friend in the industry (besides your agent, of course). Or your editor can be your worst enemy. Bad Side First An editor who doesn’t reply to your email inquiries or return your phone calls is either ignoring you on purpose or is so busy with other pressing matters they can’t get to yours. If you have this problem, make sure you didn’t create it in …
Fun Fridays – September 29, 2023
Writing to a formula is everywhere. Today’s video shows the creation of every Hollywood movie trailer without a single picture. Figure out the formula for your next book yet?
Empathy Maps: How to Discover Your Reader
There are a handful of questions I ask aspiring writers to answer to determine if they have a good grasp on their concept or if their proposal could be a viable option for publishing. The first question is this: “Who are you serving?” Many times, the look I receive in response is wide-eyed and uncertain. If an aspiring author isn’t keenly aware of their reader–who they are, what they are …
Finding an Audience
Christian authors can find it challenging to determine an audience for their books, mainly because Christian books are aimed at something different than age ranges. Christian books are often aimed at a “psychographic,” rather than a demographic. This means Christian books are often aimed at readers who have certain values, beliefs, and lifestyles, rather than an age range of males or females. No …
I Is for ISBN
978-0-7852-6400-2 978-1-62184-113-5 978-1-4245-6490-3 No, these are not the plays being called by a quarterback during a football game. They are the ISBN numbers on the back of three different books by three different authors. Kudos to the first person to identify the three titles in the comments below. Origins In the mid-60s, a major British bookstore chain (W.H. Smith) moved toward a …
Fun Fridays – September 22, 2023
You must turn up the volume for today’s video to appreciate the sublime ridiculousness of what you are about to see. Writers? Creativity can come from anywhere!!!