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Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Writing Craft » Craft » Page 16

Craft

What’s My (Last) Line?

By Karen Ballon May 18, 2016
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Here are the sources of the last lines I shared last week:

“Maybe loving dogs… “A Big Little Life, Dean Koontz’s book about his Golden retriever, Trixie. Actually, the ending “The sign now includes…:” comes from the afterword of that same book. Yeah, I cheated. But I thought they both were perfect, in their own ways.

“But the good part is …” Shiloh, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. This amazing novel won the Newberry Award.

“And you ask…” From First Paragraphs: Inspired Openings for Writers and Readers a lovely little writing resource from Donald Newlove. I included this both because I love it and because it made me grin to including the ending of a book about openings.

“He would be there all night…” To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

“Tomorrow we will go…” Dancing on the Head of a Pen: The Practice of a Writing Life by Robert Benson

“However, a few days after …” Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers

So, of course, now that we’ve shared last lines that we’ve loved, it’s time to share our own! Yes, grab your manuscripts and/or published books and pull out those last lines.

However, we’ll allow TWO lines because sometimes, as Inigo Montoya learned, to sum up well takes more than one line. (“No, there iss too much. Let me sum up.”) Come on! You gotta know what book/movie that’s from! And yes, I intended to put in two esses, so don’t write me a note correcting it.)

But I digress.

This week, let’s see how you bring your books to a satisfying end.  Give us the title of the book, a quick one-line summary, and the last one or two lines.

This is the last line from my novel, A Test of Faith, about a mother & daughter who must endure the turbulent waters of their relationship:

And with that truth cradling her, holding her tight, she drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Okay, your turn!

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Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Endings, Writing Craft

The Odd English Language: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

By Steve Laubeon May 16, 2016
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I came across an odd fact the other day. There is a two-letter word in English that has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is ‘UP.’ It is listed in the dictionary as an adverb, preposition, adjective, noun, or verb! (click here for the Oxford English dictionary link and keep scrolling down the page) There are over 30 definitions of the word! I cannot claim …

Read moreThe Odd English Language: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
Category: Craft, Editing, Fun Fridays, LanguageTag: Language

Happily Ever After

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 12, 2016
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Some people wonder why genre readers want to read the same thing over and over. Well, they don’t read the same thing all the time, and they have expectations. A primary expectation? A Happily Ever After ending. If you enjoy perusing book reviews on Amazon, you’ll find that many readers (primarily outside of genres, though genre fiction can have the first three faults as well), express similar …

Read moreHappily Ever After
Category: Craft, Creativity, Genre, RomanceTag: Endings, Genre, Romance

A Good End

By Karen Ballon May 11, 2016
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So, you’ve read the wondrous first lines of a book, been immersed in the journey through the rest of the pages, been enchanted and challenged, terrified and uplifted, educated and enlightened. And then it comes. The ending. The final words on the page to sum up all that you’ve read and experienced to this point. And these words, if chosen with wisdom and care, will echo through you, reminding you …

Read moreA Good End
Category: Craft, Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Endings, Writing Craft

There is Power in Possibility

By Steve Laubeon May 9, 2016
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The publishing industry can be a challenge for someone with artistic sensibilities. The psyche can be worn down by disappointment, bad reviews, poor sales, and rejection by agents and editors. To be resilient in the face of such disillusion is a quality to be desired. I found this quote from Søren Kierkegaard (Danish philosopher and theologian 1813-1855) in his book Either/Or: “If I were to wish …

Read moreThere is Power in Possibility
Category: Art, Craft, CreativityTag: Art, Craft, Creativity, Possibility

Variety Is the Spice of Characters

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 5, 2016
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Recently I read a general market novel where I noticed that the characters sounded the same in a way. For example, for earning money, two disparate characters said, “made scratch.” The phrase jumped out at me the first time because it’s one I simply don’t use. So when a second character used the same expression, my mind wandered out of the story and into thinking about the expression. The book …

Read moreVariety Is the Spice of Characters
Category: Craft, Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Characters, Craft, Creativity, Writing Craft

First Lines For All!

By Karen Ballon May 4, 2016
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Last week we considered some powerful first lines that we’ve read. And, as promised, here are the books they’re from: “This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.” The Princess Bride, William Goldman “It’s Nathan’s fault I became God.” The God Game, Andrew Greely “I once listened to an Indian on television say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at …

Read moreFirst Lines For All!
Category: CraftTag: Craft, first lines, Writing Craft

A Few Misused Words and Phrases

By Steve Laubeon May 2, 2016
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Three years ago Karen wrote about some “Misused Words and Phrases” but today I thought I’d add to her great list with some that I’ve found troublesome when discovered in a proposal or a book. Penultimate This is carelessly used to mean “the best” or “the greatest.” Penultimate means next to the last in a series or sequence. Not the best of the best. …

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Category: Craft

The Beauty of First Lines

By Karen Ballon April 27, 2016
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Has it happened to you? That moment when you open a book, let your eyes rest on the first page, and suddenly, you’re transported. Or shocked. Or laughing. Because the very first line has done exactly what the author hoped. It grabbed you, pulling you into the story as inexorably as a Pacific ocean riptide will carry you out to sea. And, depending on the kind of book, it can be equally terrifying. …

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Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, first lines, Writing Craft

Be Careful with Your Facts

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 7, 2016
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In light of my last post on taking care of details, I thought my readers would be interested in seeing some oddities and errors I found – in the past week! An Irish Soda bread recipe in a local circular called for: 3 cups flower Hmmm. Roses? Daffodils? Tulips? What color? Green, perhaps? And this on Amazon in describing a book: Praying in the Holy Spirit is one important bible study about the …

Read moreBe Careful with Your Facts
Category: Craft, Editing, Writing CraftTag: Editing, Writing Craft
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