The Write Way: Come On, Did I Really Say That?

Time for another The Write Way blog, so listen up.  For those of you in the know, once a month–or thereabouts–I present my take on how to write a novel.  Pop over to the “categories” listing to the right and click on “The Write Way” to see all those that have gone before.  If you’re…

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Let’s Start At The Very Beginning: The Write Way

Choosing the right idea and distilling it to is essence before building on it, is vital for cooks and novelists. Take the humble corn tortilla as a model. The grocery store version is fine, but the homemade version? Spectacular. Although it’s nothing more than masa and water, the tortilla serves as an exquisite base for creativity. Novelists must learn to take a simple, beautifully constructed idea, too, and once they understand all the possibilities, use it as a springboard for their own creativity.

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The Write Way: The Plot Thickens, Or Does It?

Anyone who signs on to Internet bulletin boards or newsgroups of novelists will, inevitably, run across “arguments” about the benefits of outlining or not outlining before writing.  Actually the “not outlining” group is usually the most vocal. They are convinced that outlining a novel, indeed knowing what’s going to happen before you begin writing the…

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The Write Way: Editing Tips

Don’t let anybody fool you.  There IS only one way to write a novel.  Your way.  Attend any writer’s conference, sit through workshops, and you may come away with the idea that everything you’re doing is wrong.  You might as well quit before anybody sees that beloved manuscript you’ve so faithfully and enthusiastically nurtured.  You…

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