As a native Floridian, I know about disruption. It happens repeatedly every year between June and November. But hurricanes and their inconvenient aftermaths are temporary; even though they're annoying, you know you'll be back to your regular schedule soon. But our current situation with … [Read more...] about Writing in the Time of Coronavirus: Practical Tips
Search Results for: writing about pain
Synopsis Writing Made Easy
Every author I know hates writing a synopsis. They hate having to try to boil down their beloved story into 2 – 3 double spaced pages. They agonize over it, moan about it in public, throw fits, start the occasional bar fight. They would rather run in front of the bulls at Pamplona, wearing clogs, … [Read more...] about Synopsis Writing Made Easy
Writing for Carrots
Are you writing for carrots? It’s a weird question that I’ve had bubbling around my brain lately, so I probably need to explain. You’ve seen the old cartoons where the horse was constantly chasing the carrot, right? It’s always there, just out of reach, and you know that poor horse is … [Read more...] about Writing for Carrots
Writing Feedback: Should We Seek It Out?
As most of you know, Becca and I have been writing and publishing for some time now. Many thing have changed in the industry, including how a book reaches the shelf. Thankfully the slush pile of doom is no longer the only route; writers can skip the gate-keeping queue and self-publish instead. … [Read more...] about Writing Feedback: Should We Seek It Out?
5 Innovative Strategies That Could Help You Win a Writing Contest
If you’ve ever participated in a writing contest, you’ll know that it’s one of the most exhilarating, motivating, and overall craft-stimulating experiences you can have as a writer. Indeed, what starts off as a modest contest entry can even turn into a much bigger project, like a book. However, … [Read more...] about 5 Innovative Strategies That Could Help You Win a Writing Contest
5 Writing Life Lessons from an Empty Nester Author
Recently, I entered a new life stage: the Empty Nester parent. My oldest son, following his younger brother’s lead, moved out a few weeks ago while my husband and I were in South America. Now, we’re back, and the house is a lot quieter. When we're out on a walk now, Scott and I sometimes run into … [Read more...] about 5 Writing Life Lessons from an Empty Nester Author
Four Reasons to Include Prompts in Your Writing Regimen
If you've hung around Writers Helping Writers for very long, today's guest author doesn't need an introduction. Gabriela Pereira is a former Resident Writing Coach who keeps coming back to share helpful information. Today, she's talking about writing prompts and how they can accelerate your … [Read more...] about Four Reasons to Include Prompts in Your Writing Regimen
Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark
In earlier installments of this “Writing by Design” series, we’ve discussed how to use the constraints of space to lend a shape to your story, and we also looked at the importance of patterns in your writing, and when and how to break them. Finally, we talked about color theory and how to use it to … [Read more...] about Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark
Writing By Design: Using Color Theory
Writing by design means using techniques from the visual arts to inspire and inform your writing. So far in this series you’ve learned how to use the constraints of space to give your story a shape. You’ve also discovered how to use the psychology of expectation to create—and artfully … [Read more...] about Writing By Design: Using Color Theory
Writing By Design: Making Use of White Space
Part 1: The Significance of White Space As writers, we often think of ourselves as “word people,” fully entrenched in the realm of language and all things verbal. Yet we have more in common with our artsy counterparts than we think. Some people even go so far as to call writers story architects … [Read more...] about Writing By Design: Making Use of White Space
How To Accurately Write About a Character’s Pain
The best thing about this online world of ours is you never know who you are going to meet. I don't know about you, but one of the areas I struggle with is writing a character's pain in a way that is raw, realistic...but not just "one-note." So when I crossed paths with a paramedic-turned-writer, I … [Read more...] about How To Accurately Write About a Character’s Pain
5 Visualization Techniques to Help Your Writing Craft
Happy to welcome high-performance coach and author Nina Amir and her brainstorming techniques. Plot. Scene. Character. Setting. Point of view. Theme. Literary devices. You've studied and practiced how to write great fiction, but sometimes that knowledge and skill aren't enough to help you write … [Read more...] about 5 Visualization Techniques to Help Your Writing Craft