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
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).
- In: The Write Place
I've heard many times from other writers the suggestion that we should write what we know. That makes sense to me since it has to be far more difficult to try to write about something you know nothing about. That usually means lots of research. But since I write, in my literary novels and collections of short stories, about the human condition based on people in my life or from my past, I would recommend that you might want to try something else. Try writing about who you know. And sometimes it takes just one incident about someone you knew from your past that left a deep impression on you and you've got a story. Your imagination will usually fill in the rest. This is where memoir writing meets fiction.
- In: The Write Place
So, since I’ve decided to spend far less time writing a newsletter I’ve decided I need to spend a little more time blogging. My goal is to blog weekly. I ALWAYS have something to write about so this shouldn’t be too difficult for me to do. Basically, I sit down in my chair and type. Something always comes out. As a matter of fact, that is also what most writers recommend you do if you want to become a better writer, just sit down at your computer until the words come out. It doesn’t have to be too long, just a way to keep in touch with whoever might be following me on my writing journey.
- In: The Write Place
There are so many books written that are turned into movies and I say 'Bravo' for the author who is privileged to have that experience. With so many authors out there today, I'm always surprised by the number of remakes that are made (such as 'Spiderman') I mean, do they think they just haven't gotten it right yet? Or is it because with CGI they can go beyond their wildest dreams. Personally, too much CGI is a turn off for me because I feel as if there is less and less acting and more just stretching a rubber CGI character through the air (again, 'Spiderman'). I feel like I'm watching an animated movie.