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Plotting Systems—Part I

Posted on July 22, 2015 3 Comments

In his book, Plot & Structure, James Scott Bell talks about two kinds of fiction writers: OPs and NOPs. To outline or not to outline, that is the question. #amwriting #tooutlineornot Bell encourages new fiction writers to try a little of both.

Research–Imperative for Writers

Posted on May 6, 2015 Leave a Comment

Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, research is the most important thing we do. Movies and television seem to be able to “get away with” not being accurate or getting their facts straight. And maybe in the past, writers could as well. Not anymore. But the thing about fiction is that you can away with fudging […]

Writing–The Mystery of Characters Part I

Posted on April 15, 2015 Leave a Comment

What is a character? An imaginary person we writers think up. How did I create Meghan Gallagher? She started out as a nineteen-year-old very unlikeable spoiled brat, which is what I wanted her to be, but soon learned no one wants to read about a spoiled brat, even though she was going to change drastically. […]

The Power of Story

Posted on March 18, 2015 2 Comments

Stories have been told as long as mankind has existed. What is it about stories that so compels us to want to read, hear, or watch them? Stories keep our attention, our interest, and help us learn. I once saw an interview with actor Michael York. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) had hired him to play […]

Writing Resource – The Scene Book

Posted on February 19, 2015 1 Comment

One of my former Christian Writer’s Guild mentors is named Sandra, but she is the not same Sandra Scofield who wrote The Scene Book, A Primer for the Fiction Writer. My Sandra recommended it to me to help me craft scenes better. I haven’t read all of it yet, but I will be. The book […]

Fiction or Non-Fiction – That is the Question

Posted on July 9, 2014 Leave a Comment

Today, we’ll digress a bit from process, but there is a process of choice in this post. Like Hamlet when he gave his famous speech, what you read took thinking, based on your preferences, your tastes, and your genres. Is there a war between fiction and non-fiction? There doesn’t have to be. I’m encouraging you […]

One Thing I Know

I follow Christ. His timing is perfect, and sometimes I get it right, and sometimes, I’ve tried to step out when it wasn’t the right time. I’ve done “previews” of what I felt God wanted me to do before and have met with some small success, but it was never the right time and nothing […]

Delay, Delay, Delay, Part 1

It seems as though my life has been made up of one delay after another — with the possible exception of my birth. I was small, only 5 lb., 8 oz. and had to be in an incubator for some days. I was released from the hospital when I was 13 days old. My first […]

FINISHING WELL

My first two novels went like clockwork, once the literary agency I was signed with decided to publish them through a special Amazon program. Meghan’s Choice was released in November 2017, and Rose’s Redemption followed in 2018. No problem. More about this in the next post.