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“I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.” – Michelangelo “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. “ Michelangelo “If people knew how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful […]
Key Steps for Finding Story and Structure in Memoir (or Fiction) Read More »
If you are coming here from my newsletter, scroll down to the last, bold paragraph . . . Writing happens first in the unconscious mind. In From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction, Robert Olen Butler says to write first thing, before you encounter language in any of its analytical or “useful” or logical modes.
My Wild, Secret Discovery Read More »
We’ve been looking at motivation in Craft Class, and one thing that is evident is that motivation is expressed in action. We all know this. We do not believe what people proclaim, we believe what they do. Self-analysis goes only so far, and the more it goes on, the less we rely on what we
3 Ways to Get Yourself and Your Characters into Action Read More »
Why Rejection is a Critical Part of Success Get ready, because I’m going to quote–well, misquote–Tony Robbins right upfront. This is something we writers need to hear. Tony Robbins says in some multi-tape course that Angie has from years and years ago, that people who hold back their work, do not submit, revise endlessly, never
Three Ways to Change Your Fear of Success Read More »
What drives your character? Story involves characters who have some motivation, something that moves them forward. Desire, wish, need, problem and the motivation to seek a solution. This can’t simply be announced: we wouldn’t believe it. It has to be felt and enacted. Motivation is the agent of change, and change is the key to
Motivation and Change Read More »
My kids and I are reading the Harry Potter books for the first time. One of the techniques J.K. Rowling uses again and again is this: something is happening, characters are reacting to it, but we readers don’t quite know what is going on. We are catching up. The reason I know this happens again
Try This at Home: Harry Potter Read More »
“The most maddening paradox of recording is that what you hear in the playback does not resemble what you’re sure you played. You hear two tracks at once: what you desire and what you have produced. Notes dangle before you without their motivations, minues the physical struggle of playing them; my muscles twitch strangely while
Playing and Editing Read More »
I am reading through my own manuscript and making a list of research and writing I need to do. I am also getting a stronger sense of the structure, and will probably deposit the draft, piece by piece, into Scrivener. In particular, I am looking at how I will interweave the back story. The question
Back Story and Front Story: Five Tips Read More »
On Thursday, Sept. 2, 6:05 p.m. – 7 p.m. Pacific Time (9:05 – 10 p.m. Eastern), author Sharon Sayler will lead a presentation and discussion of how to apply her body language know-how to our public work as writers–which is to say as readers and discussants of our own work. This event is open to the public. Please NOTE down the date and time and JOIN OUR MAILING LIST NOW and before the event, we will send you a link to the talk, which will take place through video conferencing over the web.
Dear Members, Welcome to the Book Writing World. We have a terrific group of accomplished and engaged writers. This week is devoted to getting you connected–to the site and to each other. To start, be sure you’ve joined one group (or maybe up to two groups) from the following list: Planning Your Book Drafting Your
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