Motivation
Fiction Writing 101:Part 7 — The Plot Thickens — Janice Dick
What is plot—besides a piece of ground used to bury dead people? (That’s from James Scott Bell in Plot & Structure.) In my mind, plot is the story itself, with a beginning, middle and end. Of course there are literary works that don’t follow any of the rules, not even as guidelines, but I’m thinking… Read more »
A Writer Prays About His Work — Jack Popjes
Good morning, God, You gave me this writing *gift. You built it into my DNA and you want me to stir it up, and you are helping me to develop it. You bring people into my life to encourage me and to mentor me. What’s more, you are the one who puts the ideas into… Read more »
Writing, even when it’s hard to do — Carolyn R. Wilker
In January, blogger and author Jeff Goins issued a challenge to fellow writers to write 500 words a day for the month of January. He not only issued the challenge, but he also offered a list of things to write about. While I used the word count for my own projects, journalling and letter writing,… Read more »
Unimagined Blessings — Nikki Rosen
“Okay, young man. That’ll be twenty five cents.” Lesra: Twenty-five cent? Must not be much of a book.” [Movie: Hurricane Carter] Twenty-five cents for a book about a man’s life. Not much. But the boy, Lesra, bought it, went home and started to read. He couldn’t put the book down and when he finished, he wanted… Read more »
Writing Goals and Distractions — Janice Dick
I’ve come to my office to write. That’s the plan, but my actual behavior is often quite different from my intent: 9:30 AM Go upstairs to office 9:35 AM Tidy desk, clean up desktop, align folders. 9:45 AM Check emails (there might be a message from my agent or an editor, or even that contest… Read more »
Writers Read??? — Brenda Wood
Read! Not me!! “I am a writer,” I declared. So I slavishly struggled my words onto paper for years, feeling guilty every time I stopped for a relaxing reading break. Then someone told me writers need to read, read and read some more!
Measuring Success as a Writer — Brenda Wood
James Patterson just published his millionth book and Thomas Kinkade is selling paintings by the tons and then there is …us. What is the matter with us? Why isn’t our work broadcast around the globe? What are we doing wrong?
Moving on after rejections — Carolyn Wilker
Dear Writer, I have it on good authority that you are not alone in getting rejections. It’s part of the writing business. It’s painful, I’ll allow, for I have received them too. But truly, what do you do with your rejection notices?
Success After 600 Rejection Slips — Nikki Rosen
I read the book in school and loved it. It was a story set in nature….of a wolf….and seeing things from the animal’s perspective. But the story wasn’t only about an animal…it was about human nature…and violence, decency and redemption.