I’ve never traveled for my writing before, but this September I found myself in Jasper County, IN, researching for my historical fictional novel, which I’m tentatively calling Beneath the Black Oak. Focusing on an Amish girl during WWI and rising tensions against anything considered German in the U.S., I had been trying to place myContinue reading “Historical Fiction Writer On The Road”
Tag Archives: creative writing
Don’t Ditch Emotion in Pursuit Of ‘Strength’
The saying goes that boys don’t cry, and a lot can be said about toxic masculinity and its impact on boys as they grown up, especially if they don’t fit the mold of what it “means” to be a “proper” man — showing too much emotion or pursuing certain interests, for instance. This is cropsContinue reading “Don’t Ditch Emotion in Pursuit Of ‘Strength’”
Reflecting A Real World
I’d briefly mentioned the importance of offering a diverse cast of women in the post about “agency,” and now, we are going to explore that thought in depth. Diversity is an important component to include in any story — and not just with female characters, of course — because it is good for the readerContinue reading “Reflecting A Real World”
Scene Building: Setting The Pieces Into Motion
We’ve discussed the pieces that are needed to build a good scene, but now we are going to dive into the actual process so we can see them in action. I will be using the very first scene in chapter one from a book I wrote in junior high — let it never be saidContinue reading “Scene Building: Setting The Pieces Into Motion”
Don’t Leave Your Scene In Check
What makes a good scene? For some writers, the answer to this question comes naturally while others struggle to make a scene come to life. If you fall in the latter category, don’t fret. Scenes have a lot of moving components, and it takes practice, an open mind, and a lot of reworking to makeContinue reading “Don’t Leave Your Scene In Check”
Why I love creative writing
There is nothing like working as copy editor in an area of writing with strict guidelines to make you appreciate creative writing. Because in the world of journalism and house rules, creativity is often put on a sacrificial altar — well, if you haven’t earned the right to use “I” — to meet strict viewpointsContinue reading “Why I love creative writing”
Writing Prompt #9: Mode of Transportation Fail
We’ve all had this happen at least once in our lifetime: transportation failure. Your car refuses to start when you have an appointment to meet. You’re cruising down the highway when your tire blows out. Your flying your airplane when bam! one of your engines goes out. Well, you get the point. And when theseContinue reading “Writing Prompt #9: Mode of Transportation Fail”
Seven things every writer needs to do
Sometimes every little bit is needed to help spark the writing juices, from spicing up the routine to creating healthy additions. Here are seven tips to do just that and even improve your writing routine — some of these you might already do, but with luck a few of these might be of use toContinue reading “Seven things every writer needs to do”
Blood & Ink 