Using Words – A Not So Subtle Message by Debra H. Goldstein Communicating through words is what sets us apart from other species. Certainly gorillas, puppy dogs, and other animals communicate between themselves or with humans through looks, movements, and sounds, but the use of words to convey meaning distinguishes us. Words can be spoken, […]
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First fiction for this reporter:Finding the truth inside the story by Jackie Romine Walburn Until starting my first and still-to-be-published novel, this lifelong professional writer- reporter-turned-corporate communications manager had never written a word of fiction. So, how did a reporter switch from journalistic rules of “just the facts” and “accuracy, accuracy, accuracy” to making things
Five Days to Make a Sitcom and Solve a Murder by Sally Carpenter A mystery writer starting a novel has the perplexing task of structure—what events will happen and in what order. Plotters will painstakingly map out each plot point, sometimes on index cards or sticky notes that are endlessly shuffled. Pansters will dive in, hoping
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FROM TEACHER TO AUTHOR: An interview with Joanne Guidoccio… Tell us about your upcoming novel, Between Land and Sea. This contemporary version of The Little Mermaid offers hope and inspiration to anyone who has been dumped, deceived or demoted. It is the first in a trilogy about the Bella tribe of the Mediterranean kingdom. In
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The One Thing That Defies Organization by Terry Shames With the lead-up to publication of my debut novel, A KILLING AT COTTON HILL, came months of unaccustomed work preparing for marketing and promotion. I had heard how much time and effort it took, but I was unprepared for the fact that everything else pretty much
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BSP AND BEING A WRITER by Debra H. Goldstein Creativity, diligence, networking, engaging in BSP, and a lot of luck characterize most successful writers. Although a writer can’t predict luck, the other factors are all within a writer’s control. Every story, poem, or novel begins with an idea. The key is whether the writer has
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The New? Maybe not. by Michele Drier Long ago, as the earth was cooling, people used odd machines called “typewriters” to compose notes to one another. These machines were developed after the discovery of electricity, but they were powered by a different source, human fingers. And they were called “manual” because of this. They were
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Final Beginnings – How I Met Your Mother and My Life by Debra H. Goldstein Last night, in the final minute of its eighth season, How I Met Your Mother’s audience met the mother. Ted, the main character, didn’t meet her, but in that moment, we knew that the stage was set for an entirely
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Follow That Thread! by Victoria Weisfeld “Out the back door and under the big ash was a picnic table . . . I lay down on it for nearly two weeks, staring up into branches and leaves, fighting fear and panic, because I had no idea how to begin a piece of writing.”
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Writing What I Know – by Kaye George Writers are told to “write what we know,” right? This poses a problem for mystery writers because most of us haven’t killed anyone, or even been shot. My life contains so little violence, it’s practically G-rated. So mystery writers soldier on, imaging people shot, strangled, poisoned,
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