Category Archives: Opinion

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Ken Miyamoto discusses five categories of SF and Fantasy worldbuilding while Anne R. Allen lists several reader pet peeves that writers should avoid.

Kris Calvin and Philip Athans provide their points of view on writing multiple points of view, Brian Andrews concludes his lesson on crafting believable action scenes, and Penny Sansevieri offers strategies for book marketing and author branding.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

The Craft and Rules of Worldbuilding in Science Fiction and Fantasy by Ken Miyamoto

Three Things Your Query Letter Needs to Stand Out by Lucinda Halpern via Anne R. Allen

How to Avoid Writing Stuff Readers Hate by Anne R. Allen

30+ Ideas for Bite-Sized Book Marketing by Penny Sansevieri

Writing from Multiple Points of View by Kris Calvin

Whose POV Should it Be? by Philip Athans

How to Write Amazing Action Scenes (Part 2 of 2) by Brian Andrews

5 Great Tips: A Beginner’s Guide to Author Branding by Penny Sansevieri

Make Your Protagonist an Actor by Kathryn Craft

7 Awesome Foreshadowing Tips for Fiction Writers by Mia Botha

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

The past several weeks have been hectic, leaving me little time for blogging. Unfortunately, I’ve also been contending with depression, burnout, and fatigue for reasons too long to elucidate here (and you probably don’t care anyway).  Winter and ongoing pandemic stress have exacerbated the problem. Whatever. I’m working through it.

On a lighter note, I’m thrilled to announce that four of my short stories will be published across two anthologies in late March. More information on that soon! For now, I lined up another fantastic selection of helpful articles about writing and publishing.

Monica Valentinelli discusses the ingredients of dark science fiction and offers a generous helping of positive writing advice to keep us motivated.

Ken Miyamoto explains the difference between story and plot while Susan DeFreitas delves into strategies for presenting backstory.

Over at Mythcreants, Oren Ashkenazi warns prose writers against emulating TV and film while Chris Winkle teaches us how to improve reader engagement.

Brian Andrews guides us through writing believable action scenes, Julie Duffy provides pointers on transitioning between novels and short stories, and Philip Athens summarizes the history of pulp magazines.

All that a little more. Enjoy!

When Science Fiction Meets Horror in World-Building by Monica Valentinelli

101 Softly-Delivered Writing Lessons by Monica Valentinelli

What the 2021 Facebook Changes Mean for Authors by Thomas Umstattd, Jr.

Plot vs. Story: What’s the Difference? by Ken Miyamoto

Backstory and Exposition: 4 Key Tactics by Susan DeFreitas via Jane Friedman

Focus on Short Fiction by Julie Duffy

Five Bad Habits Writers Learn from Movies and TV by Oren Ashkenazi

Optimizing Your Story Ideas for Better Engagement by Chris Winkle

How to Write Amazing Action Scenes by Brian Andrews

How to Write A Bestselling Thriller by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Doublespeak: A Look at Voice by Terry Odell

A Brief History of Pulp Fiction by Philip Athans

 

 

 

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, learn how to deal with writer burnout from Tom Meitner, and let attorney Joseph Perry explain the critical components of a publishing contract.

At Career Authors, Erin Celello urges us to take our story idea on a date while Hank Phillippi Ryan offers advice on self-editing.

Kelly Jensen reminds us of the value of mood to both writer and reader while over at the The Write Practice, Joslyn Chase and Ruthanne Reid discuss the proper use of cause and effect and the elements of plot, respectively.

Janice Hardy give us some strong opening lines and Anthony Ehlers shows us how to be visual storytellers.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Stretched to Your Limits? How to Avoid—and Cure—Writing Burnout by Tom Meitner

Know Your Rights: Key Provisions in a Publishing Contract by Joseph Perry via Anne R. Allen

How to Cut 20,000 Words by Hank Phillippi Ryan

4 Questions to Ask Before You Start Writing that Book by Erin Celello

How Much Really Needs to Be in Your Novel’s Opening Sentence by Janice Hardy

5 Tips on How to Fit Your Book’s Hook into a Super Short Amazon Ad by Bryan Cohen

10 Powerful Visual Storytelling Techniques for Writers by Anthony Ehlers

How to Maximize the Power of Cause and Effect in Your Stories by Joslyn Chase

What is Plot? The 6 Elements of Plot and How to Use Them by Ruthanne Reid

Mood is the Most Underrated Literary Device—and the Most Valuable by Kelly Jensen

Wattpad to Be Acquired for $600 Million by Korean Internet Conglomerate Naver by Todd Spangler for Variety

Class Action Suit: Amazon and Publishers Face Price Collusion by Personanondata

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Ken Miyamoto provides a regimen for becoming a screenwriter in one year. Chris Winkle offers suggestions for maintaining tension during those in-between scenes (often called sequels) while Donald Maass shows us how to meld the mundane and spectacular in our stories to suspend the reader’s disbelief.

We delve into all things editing with Patti Callhan Henry, PJ Parrish, and Jim Dempsey. Julie Glover reminds us of how real life can be fodder for fiction, and NYT bestselling author Jeffrey Deaver reveals his 13 rules for writing fiction that sells.

All that a little more. Enjoy!

365 Days: How to Become a Screenwriter in One Year by Ken Miyamoto

Self-Editing Secret: Listen Carefully by Patti Callahan Henry

Editing: The Three Levels of Hell by PJ Parrish

What to Expect from an Editor by Jim Dempsey

Five Ways to Restore Tension by Chris Winkle

The Real vs. The Unreal by Donald Maass

How Much of Our Real Life Shows Up in Our Fiction? by Julie Glover

List of Fantasy Magazines and Journals by Richie Billing

10 Things Screenwriters Don’t Need to Worry About by Ken Miyamoto

Jeffrey Deaver: Thirteen Rules for Writing Commercial Fiction by Diana Belchase (video)

 

 

Blog, Opinion

Goodbye, Dolle’s?

I developed a deep affinity for the Delaware coast since I started vacationing there in 2012 with my wife and several friends. Parasailing in Dewey Beach and visiting Cape Henlopen State Park have become summer traditions. Prior to that, I had not been to Rehoboth since high school. Due to COVID, I wasn’t able to visit this year, but I hope to return in 2021.
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Over the years, I wrote a few short stories set in Rehoboth. Three were published by Cat & Mouse Press, based in Lewes, DE. “Tower Sixteen” took second place in the 2016 Rehoboth Beach Reads contest and was included in the anthology BEACH NIGHTS. In 2019, my stories “Tapestry” and “The Celestials” were accepted into BEACH PULP.
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Dolles Salt Water Taffy - Rehoboth Beach, DE
Photo by Phil Giunta (July 2011).

Just before Christmas, the news broke that Dolle’s Salt Water Taffy would be leaving their current location on the corner of the boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue when their lease expires on January 31.  Although relatively minor, this is yet another disappointing development in 2020. I hope they find a way to keep the iconic Dolle’s sign on display either in its current location or at another prominent site along the boardwalk or Rehoboth Avenue.‌

While Dolle’s is relocating only three doors away to merge with Ibach’s By The Sea (both shops are owned by the Tom Ibach), other landmark businesses, such as Nicola’s Pizza and The Pond, are moving out of downtown to Route 1. Change is inevitable, but I hope this does not become a trend.
Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff

In our final edition of About This Writing Stuff for 2020, Ken Brosky offers advice for managing multiple narrators while Abigail Perry helps us decide when our story can support two protagonists.

Even as an inveterate plotter, I admit that Hank Phillippi Ryan makes a strong case for writing without an outline (aka pantsing, but I like her use of “emergent design”).

In the Kill Zone, Sue Coletta provides insightful tips for crafting a series bible while James Scott Bell shows us three ways to weave humor into our stories. Over at Mythcreants, Oren Ashkenazi discusses how to handle content edits and Chris Winkle suggests clever ways to describe your POV character.

If you’re considering self-publishing, I encourage you to take some pointers from Anne R. Allen, and if you’re struggling to find that powerful opening to your story, let Josyln Chase help.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy… and Happy Holidays!

How to Effectively Manage Multiple Narrators in Your Novel by Ken Brosky via Jane Friedman

5 Tell-Tale Signs of an Amateur Self-Published Book by Anne R. Allen

How to Write Without an Outline by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Productive Procrastination: Re-Purposing Downtime to Profitably Promote by Ellen Byron

6 Tips to Help You Network Like a Natural by Penny Sansevieri

Tips to Create a Series Bible by Sue Coletta

On Using Humor in Fiction by James Scott Bell

Five Things to Know When You Get Content Editing by Oren Ashkenazi

Nine Ways to Describe Your Viewpoint Character by Chris Winkle

Staging the Scene by John J. Kelley

The Secret for Creating Characters that Readers Want to Root For by J.D. Edwin

Can You Have More Than One Protagonist in Your Story? by Abigail Perry

How to Start Your Story: 10 Ways to Get Your Story off to a Great Start by Joslyn Chase

A Look at Literary Devices: What is Motif? by Sherry Howard

How a Limited vs. Tight Point of View Can Confuse Writers by Janice Hardy