Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 247

February 25, 2010

On Revising

Today I'd like to welcome Bob Sanchez to the blog. Bob, a retired technical writer, has published two novels, When Pigs Fly and Getting Lucky. His blog is http://bobsanchez1.blogspot.com and is the webmaster and frequent reviewer for the Internet Review of Books at http://internetreviewofbooks.com.

bob_sanchez Elizabeth asked me for a post on revising—not necessarily how to do it, but how I do it. Writing and revising aren't separate processes, but are closely bound together. Revising is writing...

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Published on February 25, 2010 21:02

February 24, 2010

Characters and Conflict

Manetti Lane by Glenn O. Coleman--1884 - 1932 My third grade daughter brought a children's chapter book home from her school library a week ago. The book was about a fifth grader who decides that grades and standardized tests aren't accurate assessments of children's abilities and can make students feel stigmatized. The girl decides to make straight Ds on her report card.

I know…my eyebrows went up, too. :)

But she'd picked the book out herself, was excited about the novel, and was reading it carefully to take (ironically) a...

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Published on February 24, 2010 21:02

February 23, 2010

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

Leopard--late 19th century Nigeria My husband's sister and her husband live in Africa where they work as translators. My sister-in-law speaks French fluently and perfectly accented. Her husband speaks 5 or 6 languages, including Swahili.

For years they lived in Nairobi, Kenya. Life there; apart from election violence over a year ago, living in a guarded housing compound, and occasional run-ins with police (who aren't like our police); was pretty tame compared to life in their current home in Bunia, Congo. Congo hasn't...

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Published on February 23, 2010 21:03

February 22, 2010

BSP (Blatant Self-Promotion)

Delicious and Suspicious

My upcoming Delicious and Suspicious will be released July 6, 2010, under my pen name Riley Adams. Just in time for the backyard grilling season! Here's the back cover copy:

Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant--family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great aunt, the restaurant is known for its ribs and spicy corn bread, but now the Taylor family will be known for murder--unless Lulu can clear their name...

Rebecca Adrian came t...

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Published on February 22, 2010 21:02

February 21, 2010

The Bare Minimum

AN ANGLER IN A POLDER LANDSCAPE--Willem Bastiaan Tholen I get a lot of emails for different organizations that I either volunteer for or belong to. Sometimes I want to get out my highlighter and mark the information I need.


Frequently I'll get a page-long email with only one sentence that was actually important.


It's easy to get overwhelmed with information overload.
On one hand, it's wonderful to have so many writing resources and tips online.  When I was starting to seriously write (seven years ago), there wasn't enough information online.  Now th...
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Published on February 21, 2010 21:02

February 20, 2010

Arguing

Henri Matisse - Mlle Matisse In A Scottish Plaid Coat, 1918, Mr. & Mrs. Albert Taubman Collection, Switzerland. I belong to a couple of Yahoo groups for cozy authors. One subject that's been hot on the boards lately is the way some authors argue with their readers on (mostly) Amazon.
It's almost like the social media phenomenon, which has resulted in a casual relationship with our readers via Facebook and Twitter, has gotten authors in the mood to fight back when a reader gives a negative review.
I think it's a really bad idea.
Usually, if a reader doesn't enjoy your book then they're honestly writing a...
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Published on February 20, 2010 21:03

February 19, 2010

Subplots

Brassai LeChatBlanc 1938 PompidouCenter-Paris I have a subplot in my current WIP that wants to take over the world.

In the same WIP, I have a small subplot that stays meekly in its place.

Subplots are a lot of fun for me—I enjoy both reading them and writing them. It's nice to have a short break from the main plot every once and a while take a breather.

But problems pop up when subplots get ambitious and want to take over my novel.

They do have their uses, though. While the main plot of my books might be many chapters away from...

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Published on February 19, 2010 21:07

February 18, 2010

Hiking Through A Quilted Garden: Metaphors For Writing Fiction by Kit Dunsmore

Photo by Dana Geary

Kit Dunsmore is a contemporary fantasy writer living in northern Colorado. She's currently working on a novel about a witch who tries to rescue her best friend from a necromancer without breaking her vow never to use harmful magic. You can find her at Kit's Home for Orphaned Armadillos.

KitOnTrail._crpd_smallMy first attempt at this post on how I write fiction talked about generating a series of drafts, grafting together the best of the material, and how much concentration each stage takes...

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Published on February 18, 2010 21:02

February 17, 2010

Brainstorming—by Kathy McIntosh.

Kathy McIntosh, Well Placed Words Today I'd like to welcome Kathy McIntosh to the blog. Kathy is an editor, PR expert, professional speaker, and professed word lover.

BRAINSTORMING FOR FICTION WRITERS: Get Drenched in Ideas

Whether you have a novel plotted in your head, or have a few simple thoughts about a character, an event, or a terrific action scene, the end product can benefit from a good initial brainstorming session with trusted writer colleagues.

Brainstorming is particularly useful if you're both at the point o...

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Published on February 17, 2010 21:03

February 16, 2010

The Feeling Something is Wrong

Alphonse Charles Masson--1814-1898--Portrait of Alfred Cadart--Etching, 1874 All day on Monday, I had the feeling that something was wrong.

I'd set my writing goal for the day. I had a couple of errands that I needed to do.

But I felt completely lethargic. And I couldn't think very well. I wrote some pages and looked at them with disbelief. I'd written this?

The kids came home from school. I started going through backpacks and getting supper ready…very sloooowwly.

Finally I realized—I needed to go to the doctor.

Sinus infection.

If I'd only paid...

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Published on February 16, 2010 21:03