The Write Place
Here you will find everything to do with writing, whether it is my writing or what I'm learning from reading books on writing. Reading, vocabulary, and grammar are the tools of the trade. The very best people to learn from are the ones who are seasoned writers who teach writing. You would be wise to enlist them as your mentors, as I have.
- In: The Write Place
The last book I published is a collection of memories called “Me & Them.” Since it is about my memories as a child, I hope that it will help others to remember their childhood and write down the stories that have stayed with them over the years. The stories I wrote, although some are filled with sadness, many focus on the humor and fun memories of my childhood. At the time I’m sure many of the memories were stressful or upset me, but looking back now, I can see so much humor in them. And whatever sadness or pain I may have felt at the time no longer has power over me.
- In: The Write Place
I haven't been writing much so far this year; a piece of flash fiction, checking my word count on a few of my longer novels, and adding a paragraph or more to a few of my books as the ideas come to me. But really, not much 'real' writing as I know I should be doing if I ever want to finish many of my novels. But that doesn't mean I'm sitting in front of the TV eating bon-bons (if you never had a bon-bon they are candy-coated balls of coconut - yum! which I unfortunately haven't seen around for years).
- In: The Write Place
I finished my 6th book. And now I move onto and write my next novel, right? Making that decision isn't so easy for me. You've heard of writer's block? I have writer's flow, or overflow. Should I work on and finish the book that has 80K + words written so far? Or how about the non-fiction book? Or maybe work on the one that I just started writing that has only 5K words and has a really interesting theme. There will be research so maybe I should finish the novel that I'm into for 30K + words.
- In: The Write Place
I have new goals for 2022. And the list is long. It mostly consists of books I plan to write this year, or I should say, I plan to finish since I've started so many that are in various stages of completion. It is a great variety so I won't ever tire of writing one or the same one with just a little different plot. I know that is what a lot of readers (and publishers) have come to expect from authors. Think about Stephen King. How dare he write something other than horror! It is like typecasting for actors - some actors fight against that. And many have succeeded. But when an actor takes a role that is not his usual part, like Jim Carrey, the audience expects funny. Well, this role is serious. The audience is disappointed, they were expecting a comedy!
- In: The Write Place
Stories that have a positive outcome and the hero reigns supreme are most likely a joy to read. They make you feel good, I suppose. They just don’t feel real to me. I prefer creating a character who has had a tough go of it, for whom life has been a bitch, and they just aren’t getting any breaks. That feels more real to me. Because life doesn’t always, usually, turn out perfect for us. We don’t meet the prince riding in on a white horse to save us, we don’t hit the mega-millions lottery, we don’t get to live in the suburban house with the white picket fence (if that is what we truly want).