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What Is the Internet Missing?

Set of number blocks with number 3 missing

That seems like an odd question, doesn’t it?  After all, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out Google knew what I had for lunch on Wednesday five weeks ago. In fact, computers and the internet have captured so much information that we sometimes don’t want to memorize facts, figuring we’ll Google it when we need it […]

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December 13, 2011

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How to Keep Readers on Your Side

Blurred photograph of person punching toward viewer, only fist is in focus

We’re all being told that we need to have a platform, that we need to grow our platform, and that we need to use our platform.  Gah!  Does anyone else want to throttle the word “platform” after hearing it for the fifty-bajillionth time? The word diminishes the meaning of what a platform really is.  Our […]

December 8, 2011

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How to Squeeze the Most out of Scenes

Cartoon graphic of woman's brain being squeezed in a vise grip

Whether we’re a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between, we all eventually have to take the time and make our scenes the best they can be.  This week I have a guest post at the Girls With Pens blog on how to do that. (Edited to redirect link, as GWP has shut down.) We’re talking about how to make […]

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December 6, 2011

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What Writing Skill Do You Suck At?

School paper with a failing grade of "F"

That’s right.  I’m asking you to expose your biggest weakness.  *locks the door so no one can escape*  *evil grin* We all have weaknesses.  I’m one of the biggest perfectionists around, but that doesn’t prevent me from having oodles of imperfections.  It’s only by knowing where we need more work that we can improve. In […]

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December 1, 2011

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Do You Enjoy Fantastical Stories?

Paranormal/moody image of a woman in front of a stone cross in moonlight

We’ve talked about the importance of keeping our stories believable, but the fantasy genre (and all its subgenres) require certain aspects to be unrealistic. Character types and plot points involving dragons, superheroes, vampires, etc. are all beyond the reality of our world.  What does that mean for the reader? A few weeks ago, my friend […]

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November 29, 2011

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The Best Reason to Blog – Part 2

Tree with fall color

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S.  The day we eat too much food, roll our eyes at the antics of our extended family, and think about all the things we’re grateful for.  Or in my case, wait for the tryptophan to kick in from the turkey so I can catch up on sleep. Last year […]

November 24, 2011

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The Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers

Cartoon snowman holding wrapped gift box

The end of this week marks the unofficial beginning to the holiday shopping season in the United States.  Thursday is our Thanksgiving holiday, and the day after is known as Black Friday, the day retailers finally sell enough to put their accounting books “in the black” for the year. I’m not one of those who […]

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November 22, 2011

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Done! How Do You Celebrate?

Rocks and shells spelling out "END" on a beach

I finished the first draft of another WIP (work in progress) on Monday.  Guess how I celebrated?  *cringes*  Uh, yeah…I did nothing. Yes, it was too late to go out for a celebratory dinner.  And yes, I have a lot of editing to do.  But shouldn’t I have done something?  Sure, it’s not my first novel, […]

November 17, 2011

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Story Climax: The Whole Point — Guest: Victoria Mixon

Picture of Victoria Mixon

I’m excited to share today’s guest post by editor A. Victoria Mixon with everyone.  Her new book The Art & Craft of Story: 2nd Practitioner’s Manual recently came out and is a great addition to our writing craft library. In fact, her blog tour posts have been excerpts from this book, so we can get […]

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November 15, 2011

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What Makes a Story Feel Unrealistic?

Sepia-toned drawing of nighttime on fantasy planet with large moon and hot air balloons

With fiction, a fine line exists between stories we can relate to (no matter how fantastical the setting, characters, or plot) and those we can’t. We’ve all heard the phrase “suspension of disbelief” in relation to movies and books to explain how we accept the impossible. Every genre has different “But that’s impossible!” hurdles to […]

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November 10, 2011

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