Every once in a while, I go to a website where I can listen to people tell stories about their lives. The tales are entertaining and inspirational and represent, to me, the ancient tradition of oral storytelling that is all but gone today. Sure, grandma and grandpa may share memories with their grandchildren, but the …
Category: Writers
Feb 23
What makes a story suspenseful?
Reality makes fiction writing suspenseful. That may sound like an oxymoron, but fiction also includes science fiction and fantasy, both of which skirt reality, and in so doing also skirt suspense. For example, ever met Superman? Me neither. His character is suspenseful though, and great fun to read or watch. But I know it is …
Feb 18
The Writer’s Life
I have been a writer since age 5, but it has taken years for others to realize that. I was always a writer, or, more directly, I was always writing. The act of writing does make one a writer, but the subtleties of that are profound. Writing is an activity that kids do as a …
Feb 14
Bad Boys–Watcha Gonna Do
What is it about bad boys? Those loveable scamps who are utterly irredeemable but still attract us because their badness is so much more interesting than the good guy’s goodness. You can count on the hero to do the right thing because he’s the hero. You can count on the bad boy to be bad. …
Feb 10
Normal Becomes Paranormal
Paranormal romance ideas can spark from many places and ignite into something wondrous. You as the writer can light that flame of imagination and let it grow into a wildfire. From the simplest things like a key or even a pen, ideas can flourish from ordinary into something amazing. An example of an everyday item …