Author, Compulsively Readable Thrillers
Not much more needs to be said. Read as much as you can, both in and out of your genre. You will absorb good writing techniques and learn to recognize those that aren’t. PS Sorry the last couple of tips were out of order. Oh well.
You don’t need three adjectives before a noun. You don’t even need two. Adverbs as well. Look for opportunities to delete redundancies and streamline your prose. A lot of this fine-tuning happens during revision.
If I could write a song and sing it I would. But I can’t. So words are going to have to do. I want to thank librarians for the difference they’ve made in my life… and it’s huge. A magical place right from the beginning When I was a little girl — no more than … Read more
Hi, all. I’m guest-posting today on Writer Unboxed, and I’m talking about CASTS, a writing and editing method developed by author extraordinaire Nancy Pickard. I can’t say enough good things about CASTS and Nancy, so I hope you’ll take a look. It’s completely changed how I write a chapter. For the better, I hope. You … Read more
This installment of Writing Lite is a wrap-up of some language tips, all under the general umbrella of “Less is More.” It includes how much description and backstory to use, plus adjectives and words to strip out of your fiction.
In Writing Lite #9, I talk about the power of language and suggest a book that will help your language flow. Enjoy.
We hear it over and over. “Show, Don’t Tell.” But what does it mean and how do you do it? Libby explains in another Writing Lite.
All your characters, whether major or minor, need their own arc. Those arcs don’t have to be dramatic or life-changing, but they have to be apparent. I explain below. What do you think?
What happens when your characters act — well — out of character? I explain in this installment of Writing Lite.
Hi, everyone. A new edition of Writing Lite is below. In it I wrap up our discussion of suspense with “The End” — the last sentence(s) in a chapter. Hope you’ll take a look. It’s only two minutes long.