Archives for January 2010

Writing Lesson 21 – The Dreaded Edits

Writing Your Story is Only the First Step Ponder this quote from the blog of author and freelance editor, Maryanne Miller (http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2010/01/things-that-drive-editor-crazy.html): “Developing the story and getting it down on paper – or stored on your hard drive – is only the first step in writing a book. The next couple of steps are crucial […]

Writing Lesson 20 – Get Inside Their Heads

Point of View Makes All the Difference When you and your sibling have a disagreement and tell your stories to a parent, you learn firsthand the difference someone’s point-of-view can have on the way he or she sees the same basic set of events. Your brother’s version of how grandma’s prized antique vase got broken […]

Writing Lesson 19 – Conflict of Values

Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 4 In my last post we explored Internal and External Goals. Each of us has things we value. It makes us ‘tick.’ We don’t always recognize, though, what our values or goals are. We roll on in life doing what we believe is right and never stop to ask why we act the way […]

Writing Lesson 18 – Four Dialogue Tips from the Pros

I love writing dialogue. When I start working on a story, it’s the things characters say to each other that begin sounding in my head. Improving the dialogue is one of the fastest ways to make your story better so let’s look at some tips from professional writers.  All of the books I’ve read agree […]

More About the First Annual (First Ever) NOVELWritingSite.com Writing Contest

Again this week, let me remind you about our first ever Annual NOVELWritingSite.com contest. Hopefully throughout the fall semester, you’ve been trying out some of your new skills on stories of your own. Is it working? We’re offering you the opportunity to have professional writers take a look at the first twelve pages of your story and […]