I am absolutely inspired by the Olympic Athletes. Their dedication to their sport, the sacrifices they make, the drive inside, their ability to envision victory that propels them forward. I’m loving both the team and the individual events. Like rowing! And the synchronized diving? Amazing. My favorite, however, is swimming. For a brief time, I swam competitively (I wasn’t very good), and watching the events brings back the feeling of adrenaline, the competitive burn, the sense of cutting through the cool water. It brings me back to those school and AAU meets, the smell of chlorine, crowding around the results lists to find my name. Sometimes I wish I’d had the courage, the drive….the vision to continue. I am loving the Olympic commercials, but this one with Ryan Lochte has […]
Read the RestArchive | July, 2012
What is the difference between Showing and Telling?
Showing is NOT about describing everything that happens. Showing is about helping the reader experience the emotions and motivations of the character. It’s about the reader getting into the character’s head to enjoy the journey.”
Read the Rest
Unlock the Secret to Powerful Stories
This secret will change the way you craft stories. I’m not kidding. What I’m about to tell you will impact your writing all the way to the core and maybe even get you published. I’ve been judging a contest. I feel like I could cut and paste the same comments in each one. What does the hero/heroine want? What is the story question? What journey are they going on? Author’s inciting incident has nothing to do with the opening scene. What is his/her fears? Desire? Give a hint of these in the opening. What is the dark moment from her past? Show some sort of competence. Meaning, a superpower (what he/she does well.) Good at his/her job. Show confidence in the midst of failings and weaknesses. What is the black […]
Read the Rest
Get published in Flash Fiction!
Instant gratification reigns supreme in today’s fast-paced society. I could go into a spiel here about Twitter, DVR, multi-tasking, and Big Macs, but we all live it (and, in most cases, love it) every day. Writing is no different. E-readers are replacing traditional books (some e-books even use short video clips throughout the story), and narrative summary, back-story, and omniscient POV are “four-letter words” in the writing industry now. Why? Because readers want books that read like movies. And it better not take much longer to read than it did to watch, either. So that’s where we are. Sharp. Hard hitting. To the point. In and out, nobody gets hurt. Enter: Flash Fiction. First, let’s establish what flash fiction is NOT. It’s not a PART of a bigger story, or […]
Read the Rest
