Something to think about when writing: striking a balance between description of place — to put the reader there — and developing the character who interacts in that place. How does the character feel about the scenery, how does it affect the character? “Scenery is fine — but human nature is finer.” —John Keats
Tag: writing
A thought for today…
Books offer solace, escape, and knowledge as well as entertainment.
The dash — a life lesson
Many of us have heard the touching poem, “The Dash,” about living your life to the fullest. I, however, am going to share some tips, not on how to live your life to the fullest, but how to use the actual dash to the fullest. Three types of dashes will be used in English: the…
So who is your character again? PART 2
Last week I posed the question, “So who is your character again?” Much of the article focused on raising questions to ask as a writer while developing a character. This post will focus on answering those questions. In general, a writer should know more about a character than ever appears in the book or story….
So who is your character again?
As writers, we’re often told, “write what you know.” But what do we really know. If I know a single mom, are all single moms like her? Of course not. Many factors make us who we are, and as we write characters, we need to think about the myriad factors that make characters who they…
The thesaurus is out to get us
As writers, it’s easy to get in the habit of relying on words. These words are old friends we know well and they work for us. I know—when I search one of my manuscripts for over-used words, I find some favorites over and over and over. Yikes! It’s time to treat that well-worn word as…
Writing a character you don’t like
Sometimes a story or poem requires a character (or narrator) you don’t like. In fiction it’s often the antagonist. While this person isn’t always evil, s/he is generally unlikeable. After all, the antagonist is thwarting your main character for some reason. So how do you approach writing a believable character you don’t like? Here’s how…
The proof is in the reading
Proofreading. Oy. Yet we all know those people. They seem like they can spot a transposed i and e from a football field away. Well, most of us are not those people, so we have to work just a bit harder to do a great job proofreading. When proofreading your manuscript (or anything), here are…
The power of words
The written word is not tantamount to symbols and letters strung together; it has the ability to sway opinions; to declare wars; to create imaginative worlds to visit; and to help us empathize with someone we’ve never met. I think those who have a real love for language appreciate many aspects of how words fit…
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