“Hi, Beth,” waved Justin. “Why, Justin, I haven’t seen you since our high school prom six years ago, the one where our mutual friend, Erik, got suspended for spiking the punch,” gushed Beth. “Ho, ho,” chortled Justin. “Those were the days! He went on to become a successful, if whacky […]
Ms. Manners Goes to Conference! Conference Etiquette for a Better Experience
Headed for Catholic Writers Conference? Are you excited? You should be! What an opportunity to rub shoulders with industry professionals, to put faces and personalities to folks you’ve met online, to renew friendships, and to network. This is a once in a lifetime experience; make the most of it. There […]
Art and Faith, as They Intersect in Writing
We recently observed the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Fortnight of Freedom, and this might be a good time to look at writing as an expression of our journey and expression of faith. Regular readers of this blog are most likely members of Catholic Writers Guild – which means […]
Freedoms We Hold Dear – Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience
The United States was founded by numerous groups fleeing Europe in search of the freedom to practice their religion, free from tyranny or persecution. Now, after hundreds of years, our government – once envisioned to be a tool to protect those freedoms – has seen fit to attempt to restrict […]
Critique – Tips on how to do it well
Critique – a word that often scatters writers like a firecracker tossed into a flock of sparrows! But it doesn’t have to be that way. Since critique groups are forming in the Catholic Writers Guild forums, this is a good time to talk about critique, namely, how to be a […]
Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh, my! Tension, Conflict, and Suspense – Creating Compelling Stories
One of the most fundamental techniques of fiction writing is skillful creation of tension, sometimes referred to as conflict. Our favorite authors hook us on page one with a character so compelling that we read further to find out what happens. The character is engaging, with likeable traits that endear […]
RAH-RAH ROOTING FACTORS! How to make your readers love your characters as much as you do.
What’s one of the biggest reasons you keep reading when you pick up a new book? Think about it for a moment. For me, it’s characters who are interesting, multi-dimensional, unpredictable…and likeable. Yet this is an element many of us struggle to achieve. One of the most common phrases in […]
What’s it all about? How Theme can help your story shine.
Theme comes in lots of shapes, sizes, and variations, but embodies the core of what something is about, whether it’s your brand as a writer, the story you’re writing, the characters you’re writing about – or the music you’re listening to while writing. So what is theme, and how can […]
Rejection: A thorn by any other name still stings…
Ouch. I don’t care who you are, rejection hurts. But as writers, we all experience it, so it behooves us to learn to deal with it. It’s tempting to pitch a fit, sulk, or even threaten to quit writing altogether. But when we take a look at these responses, it’s […]