Category Archives: Writer's CircleEvery secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works. - Virginia Woolf
Justice to my readers compels me to admit that I write because I have nothing to do; justice to myself induces me to add that I will cease to write the moment [...]
A Nose for News
A foxhound scents the trail of his game and tracks it straight to a killing. A lapdog lacks this capability. In the same way, there are breeds of would-be writers who never can acquire a “nose for news,” and others who, from the first day that they set foot in editorial rooms, [...]
Never write on a subject until you have read yourself full of it. - Jean Paul
Books choose their authors; the act of creation is not entirely a rational and conscious one. - Salman Rushdie
It is excellent discipline for an author to feel that he must say all that he has to say in the fewest possible words, [...]
As I considered advice to give writers on How to Write a Book, it occurred to me that it’s much like offering advice on how to parent; every book (or child) is different. There’s no secret formula or fool proof plan to achieve a successful outcome. In fact, most of the process is trial and [...]
Just imagine the nightmares you can create for a character suffering from a sleep disorder. Tucked safely into bed, all cozy and content; never imagining sweet dreams are just prelude to violence.
Kenneth Parks stumbled into a police station and confessed to murder. He had bludgeoned his mother-in-law and father-in-law with a tire iron [...]
Less truly is more when it comes to productivity. The less time spent to accomplish tasks, the more productive you are. Accomplishing more with less work requires creative thinking and a willingness to change. If you’ve always done something a certain way, it may feel uncomfortable when you try something new. When you see how [...]
It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie - A woman loses her face in a horrific crime and then she receives a face transplant. Connie Culp received a miracle five years after a shotgun blast left a ghastly hole in the middle of face. Hundreds of bone splinters were embedded in her face; [...]
Just about everyone I talk to is an aspiring writer. I’ve also noticed that many aspiring writers don’t actually write. They aspire to write, one day, when the kids are older or grown, when they can afford to work part time, or when they’ve retired from the 9 to 5 grind. Sadly, the perfect day [...]
Have you twittered…tweetered, uh, tweeted lately?
If your answer was no, then I know you’re not Ashton Kutcher or one of the million followers who express their thoughts in 25 words or less. I can barely form a thought much less express it in 25 words or less. I blame my English teachers, always demanding 250 [...]
It doesn’t matter what kind of fiction you write, the core of every genre and every story is the human condition. This is true even if your characters aren’t Homo sapiens, because they will exhibit human traits, emotions and motivations. Successful writers understand the people they write for and about. You can learn through personal [...]
BlogoSquare