What if someone told you that your writing was offensive? Reading is very subjective so your writing may very well offend someone. Each reader comes to a story with a specific set of morals and values and this can affect their response/reaction to your writing. It can be awkward to say that least. I was once in a critique group where this became an issue. One writer felt that she couldn't even bring certain material to the group because it was deemed "offensive." In the end, she had to … [Read more...]
Smell and Taste
January 18, 2012 Read Comments
We as writers all know about the adage, "Show Don't Tell" and one of the ways we do this is through the use of the senses. Of course the sight sense is used mostly and the touch sense but the senses of smell and taste can be often ignored. When used well, it can deepen a scene and make it pop in the reader's mind as more vivid. Here are some examples from YA novels that have stood out for me. One thing that all of these scenes share are the specifics of taste and smell. "At first I'd hold … [Read more...]
Description: Novel Openings
November 3, 2011 Read Comments
I was thinking how much in the writing community we hear that novels should start with action or conflict. You want to snag the reader as quickly as possible. While it is true that you want to capture the reader's interest, is starting with a bang always the answer? I found some good examples when I posted about novels opening with action but now I want to share with you three novels that begin with scenery. These openings are longer so you would think that starting with description would … [Read more...]
(Technical) Writing
October 4, 2011 Read Comments
For those of you who follow my blog, you already know I work in software development and delve in all things geeky. But I'm also responsible for all the printed and online materials and have a graduate degree in technical communication and design. Technical writing is different from fiction writing but some of the basics can still be applied. Here are some standards from my Stylebook: Use Active Voice Using passive voice can create awkward sentences. Sentences written in active voice have … [Read more...]
