Flashbacks can add zest to your stories, and impart information not available in any other way. Here’s a prompt that leads easily into a flashback situation… if you choose to take it there. Time it for 10 minutes and write! … Continue reading
This week’s prompt doesn’t give a lot to work with — not at first. But if you set that timer and start to write, and keep writing, you may be surprised at what comes out. Start now! Yeah, they gave a … Continue reading
Finding a plot is often the process of twisting the normal out of shape. We offer a toast to congratulate accomplishments, but sunny skies and happy times do not keep readers reading. You have 15 minutes to twist this toast … Continue reading
What a pairing…Crime and Wine! If you happen to have some free time on Sunday, May 29th, from 1:00-4:00 p.m., visit the Zaca Mesa Winery in Los Olivos, CA., (click on the Winery name for calendar, directions, etc.) and you’ll meet 10 … Continue reading
All of the writers I have talked with, no matter how skilled, always seem to wish they could write like someone else. I hear them often say, “If only I could write descriptions like…” or “If only I could create … Continue reading
Putting your characters into situations where they are faced with difficult decisions is a great way to add tension to your work. Remember, tension doesn’t mean mystery. It means setting up a question in the reader’s mind (Will he? Will … Continue reading
Just as places can be translated into memorable characters, so too can people be translated into unique settings for our stories. It’s all in taking a different perspective, so you find the extraordinary and singular aspects to add to your … Continue reading
Creating unique and different characters isn’t always easy. But our lives can hold the key to creating interesting and memorable characters. No, I don’t mean writing about people you know. Rather, twist it; write about places you know as if … Continue reading