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Category Archives: Literature
After the fall
The term post-apocalyptic brims with images of ruins, remnants of civilization crumbling around the world. Meanwhile humans a reduced to living like prehistoric hunter gatherers. Honestly, if a novel pictured how life improved for humans after the collapse of civilization, … Continue reading
Roman replicas
One type of government that keeps appearing in modern science fiction is a replica of the Roman Empire. From the gladiator-like entertainment by the Hunger Games series to the takeover of the Galactic Republic senate by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in … Continue reading
Posted in Literature, Story structure, Writer's resource
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The three little worlds
The places of the imagination must have some semblance to earth, or we are confused by the nonsense as we try to take in an alternate world. Usually there is one difference—one factor that is altered to set the ball … Continue reading
Kick starting a story
Many writers believe that most readers will only read a novel that grabs their attention from the first page. A dramatic episode must unfold in the first paragraph. I witnessed a workshop in which writers were coached to do just … Continue reading
Present tense prose
Since the popularity of The Hunger Game series and the awards won by All the Light We Cannot See, a trend is fiction is the use of present tense. This style is touted as making the character’s actions more intimate … Continue reading
The foundation of world building
As a child, the stories that fascinated me the most were set in other lands. As an adult, reading passages that describe an unknown world still intrigues me. Simply throwing me into a story without a describing the setting leaves … Continue reading
Posted in Literary devices, Literature, Story structure, Writer's resource
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The art of world building
I wanted to vacation on the banks of the San Antonio River as it meandered through the center of town. The river that had once created messy floods was now encased by sidewalk with a sprinkling of shaggy bald cypress … Continue reading
Posted in Literary devices, Literature, Story structure, Writer's resource
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What makes poetry, poetry?
Originally posted on Write about what?:
As a young child I assumed poetry must rhyme. Meter was beyond my comprehension. It was only that constant repetition of ending sounds that mattered. In fifth grade, the teacher encouraged us all to…
Educational play
When I was growing up there were a few “structured” learning events outside of school. A week of nature day camp in the summer, horse riding instructions, followed by a pony we had to take care of, and piano lessons, … Continue reading
Posted in Baby boomers, Generation X, Generational differences, Literature, Millennials
Tagged after school activities, clubs, sports, structured play
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Did you actually read what you thought you read?
The first few years my daughter was in grade school, she would sit at the table in the breakfast nook and do homework while I prepared dinner. One evening while I stirred cracker crumbs into a meatloaf mix, she sat … Continue reading
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