This is what I think of every time I write, hear, or see the word “anima“. :0) Why would I be using that word? It’s one of the four components of life (and death) that I’m using in my reaper story framework. From Grosse Point Blank (1997) at about 14:50...
Curiosity Take The Wheel
I ran across an article edited by Joe Fassler discussing Andre Dubus III’s viewpoint on writing. I like this article even though I’m very much of a top-down writer so can’t agree that Andre’s way is the way to do things. The part which sticks for me is this:...
That’s So Me
Spotted in Anna Elliot’s article, Heartbeats: Instead of picturing yourself at book signings, you have to picture yourself alone at your keyboard, hour after hour, learning and re-learning and refining your craft, striving to make each story, each chapter, each individual sentence the best it can be. If that...
Let’s Talk About Death
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve sorely neglected this website. Bad me! I’ve started and/or progressed on several ideas since my last post, but over this past July I came up with a new idea that I think is a keeper. Right now it’s flowing and fun...
-LY: A Forlorn Remembrance
I miss adverbs of the -ly variety. In writing, some tell us to rewrite in order to avoid adverbs as an entire part of speech, much less the -ly ones. OK, I get that. If we take the time when writing or editing we can refine a [VERB +...
Small World Snydrome
While at the 2017 Writers’ Police Academy this year in Wisconsin, I was pleased to make the acquaintance of Dr. Katherine Ramsland. I attended a lecture of hers on suicide notes and found her to be a very dynamic and knowledgeable speaker. Then due to some other cancelled courses,...
At the Speed of Fun
Exciting times, people, exciting times. The writing is going well. Not fast enough for hubby, methinks, but well enough for me. :0) This summer has just flown by and while I know where it went I’m still amazed at the speed of fun. Hubby and I went to Alaska...
For Want of a Nail
We’ve probably all heard this little tale in one variation or another. Wikipedia attributes this particular version to DC Comics. I like this version because it includes a Knight in the logistics chain, but I don’t like the last line so I put in the one I prefer. Overall, I...
Not Everybody Loves Parfaits
Despite what Donkey and my husband say, not everybody loves parfaits. Layers, on the other hand, layers are good. That’s my excuse for running behind on my self-imposed schedule. Today, I’m supposed to be embarking on the actual writing portion of my work-in-progress and what am I doing? Layering. Plotting....
Top-Down
Some writers are “seat-of-your-pants” scribes, others are “top-down” organizers, and many fall anywhere in between. I’m squarely in the top-down category whereas my brother’s a self-described puker, which is something somewhat more extreme than seat-of-your-pants writing. What follows is by no means solely (or even largely; or even much at...