Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 103
February 21, 2016
Three diagrams to make your plot a page-turner
Today’s re-blog, from Roz Morris, will zap stalled plot-intentions :-)
I’ve had this question from Elizabeth Lord: I have just finished your book Nail Your Novel and found it extremely helpful for the rewrite phase of my novel. You mention graphs as a way to see where plots are plodding and character arcs intertwine – do you have any examples?
What a good question! Diagrams coming up.
First, though, a bit of explanation. Readers get bored if the plot appears to be predictable...
February 20, 2016
Swopsies
I’m going to try out a new idea, and hopefully some of you scribblers will be willing to come on board. The Absolute Indie is not only for self-publishing newbies, but also for Indies who have limited or zero budgets. Proofreading, cover design, formatting for Kindle or CreateSpace or any of the other bits that go into the publishing of a book can be expensive, and although all of these thi...Today’s re-blog offers a radically unique but highly practical service to Indie writers :-)
February 19, 2016
Author Interview ~ P A Hughes
This will make 70 author interviews on this blog and it will be the 7th Wattpad author…
I’m extremely happy I’m finally able to have P A Hughes here since she was the first author I read on Wattpad who was above the level of “aspiring” or “apprentice”…
Wattpad is wonderful because of itsegalitarian attitude and I’ve read my share of “beginners” (funny, though, how good story-telling can override “poor writing”…).
But, today’s interviewee is, at 19 years of age, a true Phenomenon—a writer-Extr...
February 18, 2016
Writing By Hand
Today’s re-blog is by an author that’s been writing on a Mac since 1984; yet, she talks about typewriters and handwriting…
When I don’t know what I want to say, when I’m stuck in an essay or a scene or a business letter, or even when I’ve just been away on vacation and need to settle back at my desk, I always rediscover my voice by writing by hand.
Handwriting is like a fingerprint, unique to each individual; my handwriting’s lousy.
My handwriting has deteriorate...
February 17, 2016
Literacy, NGOs, and Business . . .
Let’s start with the Business in the title of this post—Fast Company:
“Fast Company is the world’s leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, ethonomics (ethical economics), leadership, and design. Written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders, Fast Company and FastCompany.com inspire readers and users to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations, and create the future of business.”
Now, NGOs— Non-Gover...
February 16, 2016
The Stories We Take With Us by Wendy Scalfaro
Very moving story in today’s re-blog………
“What about my books?” my mom asked. She was in hospice, and still coherent. Although that would last only another day or two.
“Do you want me to take care of them?” I asked.
She nodded.
“What do you want me to do with them? Donate them?”
“I don’t know.” She closed her eyes. This question was too much for her to contemplate at this point.
“I’ll go through them, and save some for the children.” This seemed to satisfy her.
While my olde...
February 15, 2016
Using Science in Fiction ~ Tread Carefully . . .
I used the words “Science in Fiction” not “Science Fiction” in the title of this post…
Image Courtesy of Hubble Space Telescope Image Site
Most fiction that isn’t science fiction doesn’t use much science.
And, much science fiction doesn’t use real science.
There’s a breed of “science fiction” that goes into imaginary worlds that have no support or anchor in true science—many of these stories are fun to read.
There’s also a substantial amount of what folks like to call “hard” sci-fi that stays...
February 14, 2016
Lesson learned from a critique group: ‘why’ is the magic question for storytellers
Today’s re-blog from Roz Morris ends with these words:
“For a storyteller, questions are more useful than answers.”
It begins with the words right below what I’m typing…
The middle is the really good part :-)
The year was 1992ish, and it was my first time at the critique class. A member read some uncertain opening chapters and asked the group for guidance on where to develop it next. One of the other members began to play the role of analyst and asked what statements he wanted...
February 13, 2016
‘Writing Is Selection’: John McPhee on the Art of Omission
Leaving things out is something a writer learns…
There’s a quote in today’s re-blog that I really like:
“If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water.”
Happy reading :-)
Writing is selection. Just to...
February 12, 2016
New #SciFi Site ~ Join & Get a #FreeBook :-)
There’s quite a bit of divergence of opinion about the“genre” of my short novel, Notes from An Alien.
My “co-author” (who’s also a character in the story) lets you have your choice between fiction and non-fiction…
My Best Friend calls it a Documentary Novel…
I think most folks think of it as Sci-Fi, from the title and the fact that folks in the story do fly in spaceships…
I think many of the leading characters of the story would call it a Family History…
It is for sale but will also always be...
