It’s a been a long while since I’ve shared some writing prompts, so I thought I’d start them up again! I hope you enjoy this one. It’s a wintry evening. The temperature is dropping and your character is running late for an important meeting with a potential new client. If s/he lands this account, it…
Tag: fiction writing
A Writer’s New Year’s #Resolutions 2021
This year, I’m issuing myself a set of challenges, and I’ll see how I did at the end of the year! Write every day. Every writer knows that he’s supposed to do this, but we find a reason not to. Maybe you’re tired from work. Maybe you got a bad review. Maybe life is just…
In case you’ve forgotten, life can be magical
I was having one of those days. The kind where everything was going wrong. The sky was a piled mass of gray clouds that no sun could squeak through. I spilled my first cup of coffee. I ruined lunch. I had a headache. My husband and I pledged to go to the park for a…
A Writer’s New Year’s #Resolutions
Writing is my avocation — and my vocation. Writing so much can some times take a bit of fuel from the fire, so to rekindle my spirit, I am making a few writing resolutions. Write every day. Every writer knows that he’s supposed to do this, but we find a reason not to. Maybe you’re…
He said/She said
In writing, “said” is often one of those words we read over or take for granted. It’s almost like “the.” In fact, we often leave it out. But, as writers, sometimes we can get lazy and use “said” plus a modifier to convey a meaning better expressed with a stronger verb. So, as you review…
Exploring wolf references: wolf whistle
Wolf-whistle is a little different from many of the phrases I’ve explored. Just why the sound, made by inserting one’s fingers into…one’s mouth…is unknown. Some suggest it’s called that because the men making it are wolves–giving unwanted advances toward women. The high-pitched whistle is also sometimes called a wolf call. Humans have a long and…
Exploring wolf references “…and the wolves will eat you.”
The phrase, “Make yourself a sheep and the wolf will eat you” is from a 1773 letter to Jane Mecom, written by the famous quipster, Benjamin Franklin. In this instance, he is telling others not to allow superiors to do wrong and ignore it. Of course, the advice applies in many scenarios. Humans have a…
Writing GLBTQ characters
In a guest post on the blog of author Adrian J. Smith, I share my thoughts on writing GLBTQ characters in fiction. I decided to focus on the power of representation. —Excerpt— The power of representation Whether I have one reader or 100,000 readers, I take the power of representation seriously. As authors, we have the…
Setting the tone in writing: Weather-related phenomenon
Weather is easy to overlook in fiction unless it pertains purposefully to plot. The elements, however, can convey mood or setting. I think of when I was a child, waiting for the bus in the country. I loved the fog! It was eerie the way it changed my relationship with the world around me. I…
The emotions of a powerful narrative
As a storyteller, I enjoy finding a powerful narrative, even when the emotions it stirs are anger, sadness. I recently viewed the video for the song Gay Goth Scene by The Hidden Cameras. This music video is an award-winning short film that took my breath away with its stark portrayal of high school bullying. Please…
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