Category Archives: Literature

Reviews and commentaries on how what you read affects your writing

The Writing Sampler

I recall a time when I could amble through a mall and be approached by marketing interviewers. If I fit the criteria, I could spend twenty minutes of time providing my opinion in exchange for a few dollars or coupons … Continue reading

Posted in Creativity, Ideas for writing, Literature, Teaching writing skills | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Classics Don’t Qualify as Comps

Before attending my first writer’s conference in Oklahoma, I poured over the biography of all the speakers. Each one was asked to disclose a classic novel in their want to read list. Despite the different books listed I was shocked … Continue reading

Posted in Drama and movies, Literary devices, Psychology, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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 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

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

A Stuck Character

The character that I’ve imagined is stuck. Literally. He’s in solitary confinement, or in a dungeon, or abandoned on an island, and I know how he’s going to escape. But, for now he’s stuck. Should I just jump ahead to … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Drama and movies, Ideas for writing, Literary devices, Literature, Novels, Story structure, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Happiness Requirement

“And they lived happily ever after” is not just a matter of fairy tales. A Happily Ever After (HEA) ending remains a favorite of many readers and has likely been one ever since stories were first told. In this age … Continue reading

Posted in Characters, Ideas for writing, Literary devices, Literature, Mental health, Novels, Psychology, romance, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Language of Empires

Have you ever wondered why we have two words–who and whom–both meaning the same thing. What is the difference? These two words are different cases of the same [pronoun, which are forms which provide clarity. Even people who don’t know … Continue reading

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