There is something magical about doors. Perhaps it is because you can imagine what you will find behind the door. Closed doors can prevent you from discovering the mystery on the other side, which is not always a bad thing. As long as the door is closed, you can imagine whatever you like. And an
THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS – Neil Gaiman
I have not always been a Neil Gaiman fan. It took me a while to discover his immense talent and wisdom,. And I have to say it all started with Fortunately the Milk, which I absolutely adore. But this is not about Fortunately the Milk. Gaiman’s Newberry Award winning book The Graveyard held less appeal
MY NOTEBOOK ADDICTION
Like falling in love, moments that announce themselves as your subject are rare, and there’s a magic to them. Ignore them at your own peril- Dani Shapiro Notebooks are how you capture those rare, magical thoughts, ideas, moments. It has never been quite clear to me whether I continuously start new notebooks because I am disorganized
WRITE A HABIT
Commit to write every day, no matter how little. Strengthen the cobweb until the cables form! Have a writerly weekend!
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL
The hardest part is the first three sentences. Sitting down with pen and paper and just getting those first three sentences out; I sometimes have to write my way into something knowing the first paragraph is just preliminary, but I have to write my way in. It’s like being in a cold lake and sometimes
TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHARACTERS
It’s inspiring (and vital) to get inside the head of your protagonist to fine out what makes him/her tick. Physical characteristics and quirky gestures aside, what is going on behind the scenes in every scene? People act, react based on previous experience, upbringing, expectations, personality… And so do your characters. Once you get to know
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT!
So true! I used to slog it out on one project to the bitter end. But by the end of the seemingly endless revisions, my creative powers were, well, powerless! I was SO out of practice. Now, I remind myself that revising, is not writing. If I want my writing skills to be sharp and
Jump Off a Cliff This Weekend!
WRITING IS LIKE THE LAYERS OF AN ONION
“You don’t write because you want to say something. You write because you have something to say.” F. Scott Fitzgerald As I begin at the beginning once more, this time with an eye to revision, I’m particularly aware of what this book needs to say. The theme, if you will, of the novel. Writing is
NOW IS THE TIME
“Writing strikes fear into the hearts of everyone because writing is sticking your neck out, taking a chance and exposing your thoughts and feelings to the world.” Janet G. Balfour in A Basic Study of Writing So. True. But then, anything worthwhile involves sticking ones neck, doesn’t it? The revision process, on the other hand,