There’s a difference between reading, “And then, in her Jamaican accent she said ‘sit right down’ – and I did.” And… “Seet ry’t down,” Rainey said. Her dark eyes shiny; a contrast to her equally dark but matte skin tone…. Read More ›
show don’t tell
Editing Tip #103 – Finding Balance
If you have read more than 3 of my editing tips, you’ll know that I’m a strong proponent for balance when it comes to taking advice and utilizing techniques in your writing. But what about the actual story? What happens… Read More ›
Editing Tip #93 – Be Devious with your Character Descriptions
The mark of a truly talented crafts-person when it comes to writing is how the author integrates the physical characteristics of his entourage within the folds of the story. I have read many a book where an author has written… Read More ›
Editing Tip #89 – Evoking the Senses Pt.4: Smell
Our brain works on triggers: the baking your grandmother did every Sunday afternoon when she babysat you; your husband’s deodorant; your lover’s aftershave; that farm down the road from your childhood home that always smelled like sheep s**t in the… Read More ›
Editing Tip #88 – Evoking the Senses Pt.3: Sound
Whether you’ve taken extensive creative writing lesson and workshops or you’re doing your best to get by on the advice of blogs and writing magazines, the 5 senses will always be integral to flushing out a scene and bringing depth… Read More ›
Editing Tip #87 – Evoking the Senses Pt.2: Touch
Writing that evokes the 5 senses is all about balance and knowing when to focus on any one sense over another or which ones to combine in order to make the biggest impact. Last week we looked at the most… Read More ›
Editing Tip #86 – Evoking the Senses pt.1: Sight
I know, you’re probably thinking, “All writing is based on what we see. That’s how 90% of all stories are told.” When actually, I would only agree to that statistic if you’re talking about highly edited and well-informed writing. In… Read More ›
