When first entering the field of professional writing in 1961 as a newspaper reporter, the reading level of Americans was 5th grade, and that’s how we crafted a story. In the ensuing fifty-six years it hasn’t gotten much better. National statistics are rather glum. Currently . . …. Read more »
Think of your plot as a stream, your characters are in boats carried downstream by the current. The spectators are your readers, and the play-by-play announcer is . . .? How the action is called depends on the perspective, or the point of view of the person hired… Read more »
The main job of a writer is to create characters with whom the reader can relate using the only tool available—words. We have all experienced the sights and feel of emotions which we should be able to convey in order to connect that bond between reader and character…. Read more »
When writing your story, the big holidays like Christmas or Mardi Gras sometimes slip in, but there are a whole lot more little things, if taken into consideration, could enhance the plot—either adding color, tension, relief, opportunity for action, or become a hindrance. Theses little things are often overlooked which… Read more »