writing tips
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No, your story’s not the Titanic (though there will be days you fear it is). This picture is what your story looks like. The top? The words on the page. Then there’s what is under the surface. For one thing, you can see that the reader is going to not only bring their own stuff…
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I met a lot of talented writers at Antioch. My cohort still checks in weekly and we help keep each other encouraged, on track, etc. This morning, one phrase jumped out at me. One woman was writing about courage and said she thinks of a number of things like the people dancing in the streets…
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In the past six months, I’ve had my hair blown out straight a few times and at first I loved it, but then discovered that I don’t feel like me without curly hair. That got me thinking about ways to reveal character. What’s a small change that would make your protagonist uncomfortable… not even uncomfortable,…
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Do you pay attention to including sound when you write? I was discussing this with another writer and both of us default to the visual. If we need a creative person in the narrative, they are invariably a painter because we know something of that world (she was married to an artist). She’s going to…
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Was talking to S the other day who said they (the infamous “they” again!) were telling a writing class that their first screenplay (in this case) would be bad. I’ve heard the same warning to new authors too, as if they should toss their first book. Sometimes it’s true. Sometimes it’s not. And what if…
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The novel I just finished writing is a dark comedy about a group of siblings prematurely vying for their inheritance. I read a number of comic novels that dealt with crazy families, estates and wills, fights over money, etc. All of the authors taught me something useful and I found the process of annotating (nudge, nudge,…
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Do you make resolutions? There’s a lot of snark (enough with the snark already) out there especially about how resolutions are useless and meaningless, but I say they are a sign of hope and hope is a good thing. I don’t know how you have perseverance as a writer without hope. Hope that you will…
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An essential element for good writing is a good ear: One must listen to the sound of one’s own prose. – Barbara Tuchman I’ve found that I’m not alone in the experience of writing at least in part because I didn’t have a voice growing up. Many find their voice when they escape their families…
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A friend who’s writing a book – a ‘publish or perish’ tenure track type of book – asked me if I have any tips on finishing. Well… not really. I mostly need help in the great chaotic middle when it looks like the entire book is going to fall apart and I’ve just wasted months…
Diane Sherlock 
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