Archives for July 2012

And the Winners Are…

In our 3rd Annual NOVELWritingSite competition FIRST PLACE: Forest of Secrets by Elizabeth Hornberger SECOND PLACE: One Hand Clapping by Carolyn Dotson THIRD PLACE: The Last White Knight by Josephine McCoy Congratulations to these writers and to all this year’s entrants! It takes great courage to show your work to others. I think I speak […]

Greeting Cards Tell Micro-Stories

I recently discovered a line of greeting cards by Curly Girl Designs. Go ahead, click. Aren’t they darling? What captivated me, though, were the sentiments. Each one suggests a score of stories! See what you can do with these (and PLEASE share in the comments!): “One of the hardest things to realize,” she said, “is […]

Is There a Story in Your Fortune Cookie?

This summer we’ve been looking at where story ideas come from. A recent dinner out illustrates that ideas are everywhere! Think about the essence of a Fortune Cookie. The very word “fortune” evokes the concept of a happy adventure waiting to happen, a happy ending just beyond view. Isn’t that what readers look for in […]

Interesting Humans

Many writers get their story ideas by watching people. How they look. What they do. How they interact with others. Without judging, can you guess the motivations that might lie behind their actions? Start with the most obvious, but don’t stop there. Make a list of all the possible reasons for what you see. I’ll […]