Renee Miller's Blog, page 43

POV

Ah, POV, the pesky little rule that seems to mystify and frustrate a surprisingly large number of authors. When I started writing 'seriously' I had no idea that there were rules to this POV thing. I didn't even realize there were different kinds of POV. I head hopped like it was an Olympic event and I was going for the gold.



So, for all you noobs out there who are completely lost as I was, I'll give you a few definitions here. I'll also give you some 'guidelines' I've learned to help keep me...

Plotting or Pantsing (Part 3 of 3)

So, I probably didn't need this third post. But I said three parts, so I'll write three parts. I think everyone cleared up the issue very well in their comments. Is it better to outline or to simply write the damn book? Well folks, the results of my highly scientific research (snort) are that neither is better.



What kind of answer is that? Have you been into the Cracker Jacks again? No, I've been off the Jack for six months and I plan to stay off. I mean that there isn't a better way to wri...

Hey You Beautiful Bloggers

[image error] So a couple of days ago, Little Village Naturals gave me the Beautiful Blogger Award. To pay it forward, so to speak, I'm giving the award to a few more blogs. So congratulations Beautiful Bloggers, pay it forward if you wish, and if you don't, I'm okay with that. I chose these blogs not just by how they look, but for what each contains. I believe Beautiful Blogger should mean that the blog is beautiful 'inside and out'. So, just because they aren't fancy and decorated by lots of whatnots, do...

Plotting Or Pantsing? (Part 2 of 3)

Okay, so while I didn't get a lot of comments, (a fact I'll put down to shyness) we have a lot of writers who try to do a little of both. And we have some bloggers who are total Pantsers. Interesting. I write my blogs with a bit of an outline because I tend to ramble, although I'm sure you haven't noticed.



Paul was kind enough to expand on his outlining process, which is one of many. So for those of you who are Pantsers simply because you're not sure how to outline, I've found a few handy t...

I'm Beautiful.

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I am honored to receive the Beautiful Blogger Award from Tanya at Little Village Naturals. The other blogs awarded are truly beautiful. I'm glad you think my mug at the top is nice to look at. Thanks Tanya. Over the weekend I'll pass this award on to other blogs. I won't pick any ugly, I promise.

Plotting or Pantsing?? (Part 1 of 3)

This will be a three part post. (shorter posts equals happy readers) I was going to write a post about structuring your novel. Should you plot or pants it? Of course, I have an opinion, I always do, but I wanted to know where everyone else stood in terms of whether or not to structure their work before beginning. What am I talking about? I'll clarify.



Plotter : Outlines novel from beginning to end before writing. Research, characters, setting, etc. is all firmly planned and fleshed out befor...

He said, She said...

Writing dialogue is easy. Come on, you just write the way people speak. Easy as pie. Ha! Pie is not simple and neither is dialogue.



I made April's Writing Challenge in OFW (On Fiction Writing) about writing a scene of dialogue. Not just any dialogue though. Good dialogue. A telephone conversation. Of course we always add a twist, and this month I decided comedy would make it interesting. Indeed it did.



Since I post the challenge a month in advance, to give writers time to come up with...

Self Publishing Versus Traditional - The Debate Rages On...

It seems every discussion forum I go into that has anything to do with writing has this debate somewhere within its threads. Most times the debates become quite heated as both sides express their points and take personally the arguments their 'opponents' give for their camp. I try to stay as neutral as possible, as I have friends who have self published (those friends have often said how much work goes into it and how unbelievably hard it is to make money self publishing) and I don't enjoy...

Who's In Charge?

Caught in a Google haze once more, I found myself reading some interesting Agent blogs. I came across one that posed the question; Do you own your characters or do your characters own you?





I read many comments following the post supporting this phenomenon. Of course I commented giving my feelings on the subject. The ridiculousness of it all tickled my cranky bone. Here are a few common complaints I've read:





"My main character just threw a wrench into my whole plot."





"I'm trying to...

On Writer's Block

"What things there are to write, if one could only write them! My mind is full of gleaming thought; gay moods and mysterious, moth-like meditations hover in my imagination, fanning their painted wings. But always the rarest, those streaked with azure and the deepest crimson, flutter away beyond my reach." ~Logan Pearsall Smith







I'm the type of person who rarely runs out of things to say. A simmering stew of thoughts, questions, and random statements roll around my brain spiced with the...