Author Archives: knlistman

Scoring Your Sense of Humor

My patience is often short with motivational speakers. They may tell interesting stories but often their techniques only work for themselves. I listen to one who was humorous enough to get a chuckle out of his audience. However, afterward in … Continue reading

Posted in Laughter and humor, Mental health | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Do We Read Emotions?

In the last blog I described the difference between real and faked laughter. Both are quite useful and will be heard in the feasts that mark the cooler seasons in the United States. We indulge in food and conversation at … Continue reading

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Distinguishing types of laughter

The muffled giggle, the high pitch twitter, the polished chuckle, the wheezing chortle, and the deep belly laugh can all be taken differently depending on who is uttering the sound. Real involuntary laughter is often contagious in groups, one person … Continue reading

Posted in Group psychology, Ideas for writing, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Not AI?

I write under a curse that requires me to experiment and revise as I create. Despite considering ideas, creating outlines to guide me and re-reading my initial work to improve it, the quality of my writing is not consistent. Unfortunately, … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Creativity, Ideas for writing, Novels, Story structure, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books, Writing trends | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Price of Staying Connected

Before I entered grade school, I knew something about computers. That may be ordinary today but unusual for someone born in the 1950’s. However, my father worked for General Electric in Louisville, Kentucky which housed one of the first non-government … Continue reading

Posted in Mental health, Social media, The information age | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Physiology of Love and Fear

The demand for writing from the character’s point of viewpoint is increasing. Sights, sounds, textures and tastes should reflect the perception of the character. But, what about physiological reactions? These descriptions capture the racing heart and euphoria, or the rise … Continue reading

Posted in Ideas for writing, Literary devices, Showing versus telling, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Catches My Attention in a Book?

We are supposed to judge books by their covers or by the blurbs and by the author’s name. I have favorite books by authors who names I have forgotten. I willing to look at I work with and out of … Continue reading

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Are You What You Read?

We don’t seem to be recovering from the drop in literacy within the United States among school age children in 2019 and following years. The standard response is blame the problem on children not receiving an adequate education during the … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Emotional intelligence, Literature, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Pushover Protagonist?

How often have you heard warnings against creating a protagonist who is the opposite of a mover and shaker, one who simply lets things happen to them? Or one who watches the other characters struggle without taking charge? A main … Continue reading

Posted in Drama and movies, Ideas for writing, Literary devices, Literature, Story structure, Trends in books, Writer's resource | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Writing and the Stock Market

All ideas have been done before. It’s basically impossible not to reuse one. If it hasn’t been done before, the idea will make almost no sense to anyone. That defeats the purpose of using it. Conformists want ideas that are … Continue reading

Posted in Creativity, Generation X, Ideas for writing, Literature, Millennials, Style and voice, Trends in books, Zoomers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments