Reading and Writing FictionA Short Story George rose every morning at first light. He dressed always in his red-checked shirt, sleeves rolled above the elbow, and blue denim overalls tucked into heavy gray work socks, the tops of which he rolled over his boots. Having fed himself quietly in the old tacked-on kitchen, he would let himself out […]
So here’s a problem I’m sure other writers have run into. Which person, first or third, works best? I suppose it depends on the writer and what’s being written, but for mystery writers, person poses a problem since people have different perspectives. Here’s where I run into just that kind of situation. Let’s say I’m […]
We use the verb “to be” a lot mostly because it’s easier than looking around for a verb that’s more accurate. But “to be” is a passive verb; it doesn’t do anything but join parts of a sentence together. Take this sentence: “The road was wet and shiny.” It provides information, sure, but it’s a […]
I’ve heard this idea expressed by numerous people, critics and writers especially, and it makes sense. However, to understand what it means to “write what you know,” I have to look at my experiences and then examine what I write to see what the connection really is. And that brings up some interesting insights and […]
What is atmosphere? Atmosphere is something that the writer creates through setting to make a reader feel a certain way in a particular scene. Mood, on the other hand, creates a feeling that lasts from cover to cover. Creating mood through setting seems to me to be a subtle manipulation of the reader to feel […]