Craft of Writing
Whatcha Doing to Improve Your Craft?
The editor scanned the first three pages of my book manuscript. Then she peered at me over her reading glasses and asked, “What are you […]
Craft of Writing
Craft of Writing
Writing 101: Concise Writing
Concise writing is imperative. Nobody said it’s easy. According to William Zinsser in his book, On Writing Well, “A clear sentence is no accident. Very […]
Craft of Writing
Writing 101: Me, Myself, I, My, and Mine
“Me” has become a dirty word and most people do everything they can to avoid saying it. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re in the heart of Silicon Valley or the remotest wilds of Alaska […]
Craft of Writing
Writing 101: Active and Passive Voices . . . and the Verb “To Be”
Writers are usually encouraged to use the active voice and to avoid the passive voice, so it is important to be able to know and […]
Craft of Writing
Writing 101: Point of View Basics
One of the most important decisions you need to make as a writer, especially when writing fiction or creative nonfiction, is deciding which point of […]
Craft of Writing
Matching Our Message to Our Audience
Match the Message As I was working in my home office, I heard my wife, Alean, shout from somewhere down by the kitchen, “Hey! No […]
Craft of Writing
How to Flesh Out Your Characters
Well-rounded characters are equally as important to a story as the plot. They are what makes a reader feel for what is happening in a […]
Craft of Writing
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: Four Tips for Writing Great Opening Sentences
As Will Rogers reminded us, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is never truer than when an agent or […]
Craft of Writing
Stirring Up the Gift Within You
In 2 Timothy 1:6 (KJV), Paul exhorts Timothy to “stir up the gift of God, which is in thee ….” Or, as the NASB version […]
Craft of Writing
How to “Write Tight”
Editors continually tell us writers that we need to learn how to ‘write tight.’ What exactly, does that phrase mean? How can authors like ourselves […]