What to do with your idea for a novel or short story

May 022013
 
 May 2, 2013  Writing, Writing fiction No Responses »
What to do with your idea for a novel or short story

If you’ve been in one of my workshops where I talk about writing fiction, I usually hand out small cards with these words on them: character, setting, plot, theme. For me, they are the four corners of all good fiction. But when you begin a story, you usually have only of these things: a character you find interesting for whatever reason (might be completely made-up, based on someone you know, or a combo); a setting (again, either completely imaginary, very real, or a combination); a plot, or at least the beginning of a plot, even if only a “What if?”; [ Read more...]

Walking the fiction tightrope: writing with faith and honesty

May 012013
 
 May 1, 2013  Independent publishing, My books, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 4 Responses »
Walking the fiction tightrope: writing with faith and honesty

I was writing a scene around Paul Manziuk, my police officer in Shaded Light, and suddenly he decided to swear. I told him he couldn’t. I don’t swear myself. Why would I swear when writing? He said he wasn’t me. True. He said that he was hot, tired, and frustrated, and he really needed to say one mild swear word. I agreed that under those circumstances I might feel the same way. Paul said, “So?” I reminded him that I’m a Christian; although I think the real reason I don’t swear is that I find the words offensive. Paul reminded [ Read more...]

Substantive editing – the all-too-often missing ingredient

Apr 302013
 
 April 30, 2013  Independent publishing, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 3 Responses »
Substantive editing - the all-too-often missing ingredient

As more and more books are published by individuals or by companies who want the manuscript to be near-perfect when it arrives, the one thing that is less likely to happen is good editing. I’m talking about the kind of editing where someone who is an expert in the genre takes apart the manuscript and points out every single flaw and potential problem so that the author can  hone it and mold it. It’s called crafting. In my opinion, writing has four aspects: art, craft, business, and ministry. It’s very easy to focus on only one of those aspects. But [ Read more...]

The dilemma of being a Christian who writes fiction

Apr 292013
 
 April 29, 2013  Christian publishing, N. J.'s Books, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 6 Responses »
The dilemma of being a Christian who writes fiction

Writing fiction would be easier if I wasn’t a Christian. I’d just sit down and write whatever I wanted. No problem. But I am a Christian. And it’s frequently been a problem. When I began writing more than 35 years ago, I had a BA in English and the English medal for my graduating class. I also had a very strong faith in God. It seemed natural to me to combine my knowledge of good literature with my faith. I soon found, however, that not all fiction written by Christians was for me. Some books, like the Narnia series, delighted [ Read more...]

I love the book “Write Away” by Elizabeth George

Nov 182008
 
 November 18, 2008  Book Reviews, Writing, Writing fiction 3 Responses »
I love the book "Write Away" by Elizabeth George

I'm having lots of warm, fuzzy feelings while finally reading a book I picked up by chance  last summer.  The book is Write Away: One Novelist's Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life, by Elizabeth George, author of over a dozen great mystery novels. Part of the reason I'm enjoying it is that I can now cross "Write book on how to write fiction" off my to do list.  While no two authors write the same way, she's pretty well nailed how I write – or at least how I try to write. Not seat-of-the-pants-hope-it-works-will-have-to-do-lots-of-writing-if-it-doesn't  (although I just tried that [ Read more...]