As a screenwriter and novelist, I’ve learned what convention states about bad writing, especially regarding characterization. In the script world, on-the-nose dialogue leaves little or no room for subtext while […]
Caring for Characters – Part 2 Read More »
I finish every book I start, whether I give it a thumbs up or down. At times, the reading becomes a test of endurance. But, as a writer, I’ve been
Caring for Characters – Part 1 Read More »
Many strong and memorable female heroines have emerged from the pages of books. My favorites include characters from a handful of 19th century authors namely Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott,
The Heroine’s Journey Read More »
Recently, I read The Maltese Falcon by author Dashiell Hammett. In 1929, the story appeared as a serial in Black Mask magazine and published in book form the following year.
No book is easy to write, whether fiction or nonfiction. Story development, the critical component, can elude writers, especially in the formative stages. Ultimately, the characters, both biographical and fictional,
Sketching the Story Read More »
For this year’s Goodreads Reading Challenge, I rediscovered a 20th century classic novel. If I’d read the Pulitzer Prize winner, To Kill a Mockingbird previously, I don’t recall doing so.
Retcon. Sounds like a throwback from the first wave of video games. It’s actually an abbreviation of two combined words. Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device
I call myself a writer. I’ve been doing the writing thing for a few decades. In high school, I was recruited into our newspaper staff, more like shamed into it,
For works of fiction, multiple genre listings are encouraged in hopes of expanding readership prospects. Last year, my Goodreads Reading Challenge selections included a novel with ten genres tagged by
Many times, I’ve mused on the writer’s muse. In general terms, does a creative type need some object, person, or imagined being as inspiration to formulate or manifest ideas? I
