Sylvia McNicoll's Blog, page 3
May 5, 2023
Enjoy a laugh with Captain Skidmark
Captain Skidmark Dances with Destiny by Jennifer A. Irwin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Probably the funniest book I’ve ever read, Captain Skidmark also delivers some highly emotional punches. Will Stone thinks he’s a loser and the world mirrors back these feelings. Hockey is everything in his family and he’s just not into it. […]
May 19, 2022
What the Dog Knows–Diesel talks about the book
The real dog who inspired this story consented to star in this video about What the Dog Knows. Worf is now about 10 years old and very well behaved. He used to be that dog that wagged his tail and threw over glasses. He’s best friends with my way smaller dog Mortie. Together they used […]
April 12, 2021
Mystery Writing Tips
Every story is a mystery in a way–of course some more than most. These tips should help will all story creation. Enjoy! Thank you EpilogueProdcutions.com and Telling Tales. Share This:
March 8, 2021
Metaphors, Similes, Using Five Senses to Create Scenes
Writing your true story, where to get started. Scroll down for Getting the Idea, then go to Developing the Idea and then finish with Creating Scenes. These are bare bone tips to help you get writing.By the way they can be used equally well with fiction writing. Visit Writing the Rollercoaster Youtube to watch adult […]
March 6, 2021
Second writing tip: Developing Your Idea
March 30 is looming and we want your story or poem. In the first writing tip, we explored how to brainstorm some ideas on paper. Talk about your idea with your friends or family. Decide what you hope readers will take away from your end, ask yourself what’s the high moment in your story and […]
February 24, 2021
Writing tip: Getting the Idea
This video is the first tip in a series of six aimed to help you feel confident in expressing yourself through words for Writing the Rollercoaster. We hope it shows you how to mine for the ideas you want to write about. It was designed with younger writers in mind but is true for any […]
January 25, 2021
Writing the Roller Coaster-Burlington Family Literacy Project!
It’s a Virtual Life I live on the computer Almost a real life Frozen until a cure comes This is my own form of haiku–instead of five, seven, five syllables, it’s seven, five, seven. I didn’t re-invent the form on purpose, I made a mistake. But I like it. Lynda Simmons and I want […]
January 11, 2021
Writing the Rollercoaster of your pandemic emotions
. Let it all out! I hate Covid! You can scream into the Icelandicair app. Or how about this. Write about it. If you live in Burlington or have lived or work in Burlington, check out a new project I’m working on with renowned author and creative writing instructor Lynda Simmons at: Writingtherollercoaster.com You can […]
August 8, 2020
Adding Media Fun to Reading
You never know how you’re going to engage your young person with books. I love series reading because the entry point into the story becomes a safe home you’ve already visited. That is for the second, third and fourth book. How do we hook a new reader enough to acquaint themselves with a set of […]
June 10, 2020
Acting in character
After reading 70 mystery books in three months in order to judge them for the Arthur Ellis (novel) Crime Writing, I felt inspired to write one. Just one. Endlessly I walk my dog in Brant Hills so I instantly found a natural setting. An inciting moment was when I took a bag of dog poop […]
