Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 16

Judge Not by Eric Beetner

What are your thoughts on book contests? Do you believe winning one can further your career? Which ones, if any, do you enter?

I have benefitted from a contest, albeit a short story contest. It was quite a long time ago for an online zine that no longer exists. From that win, I got my first agent. Contests can be a great way to get recognized and to meet people. I have cynical views on some of them, however. 

First and foremost: do not, under any circumstances, ever, ever, not ever, PAY A FEE to e...

Winner Winner, I'll Take the Dinner

 

What are yourthoughts on book contests? Do you believe winning one can further your career?Which ones, if any, do you enter?

It all depends on your motivation. Awriter can look at a contest as a way to test their talent. An athlete trains,and a writer writes. A runner completes the race, a distance covered in acertain amount of time. A writer finishes a work in a genre and with a certainword count. The results, however, are different. Where a runner covers apredetermi...

And the Winner Is...

 

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Photo by ChristinaDahl on Unsplash

 

 

What areyour thoughts on book contests? Do you believe winning one can further yourcareer? Which ones, if any, do you enter?

I’ve neverbeen considered what one would call lucky. I’ve yet to hit the lottery or win ajackpot at the casino. I’ve never evencaught the boquet at a wedding. You can decide on whether that’s luck or notfor yourself. So, it’s not surprising that I’m not the most enthusiasticbeliever in contests. However I can see their...

The Importance of Setting - by Harini Nagendra

This week's topic: How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you've never visited, and how  do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how  these scenes enhance the plot or create mood.

As a reader, I know I actively seek out books with strong, compelling settings. I look for mystery books set in times I have not lived through, in places I do not know. For me, this is the easiest and most fun approach I can take to learn more abo...

Humpty Dumpty Was an Ovicide from James W. Ziskin

How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you've never visited, and how  do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how  these scenes enhance the plot or create mood.

2017 Macavity Award for Heart of Stone

The title of my post this week has nothing to do with setting. It’s more about plot. But never mind that. Read on.

For me, setting in books is as important as the characters, or even the plot. Is that a bold statement? I don’t th...

Adding to the impact

How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you've never visited, and how  do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how  these scenes enhance the plot or create mood.

by Dietrich

Setting is the story’s anchor. A rich setting draws the readers in, grounding them in a time and place by adding color and tone to the story. It lends scope and adds to the pace and plot as well. It can be motivation for conflict, and it can act like an o...

All Important Setting

 

Terry here with our question of the week- How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you’ve never visited, and how do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how these scenes enhance the plot or create mood. 

 I’m not sure even character is more important than setting. But by setting I don’t mean just location. I mean the weather, the physical elements of the scene, the atmosphere, and the response of the characters to all th...

Al Important Setting

 

Terry here with our question of the week- How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you’ve never visited, and how do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how these scenes enhance the plot or create mood. 

 I’m not sure even character is more important than setting. But by setting I don’t mean just location. I mean the weather, the physical elements of the scene, the atmosphere, and the response of the characters to all th...

Setting the Mood

How important is setting in your books? Do you write settings that you’ve never visited, and how do you go about this, if so? Give an example or two of setting in your own work and say how these scenes enhance the plot or create mood.

Brenda here.

Setting is essentially another character, especially in crime fiction. In my case, I use the Canadian landscape as the backdrop for my stories, because I know it intimately. It's much easier to create mood and describe the locations if I've visited the p...

*Insert Sex Scene Here* By Poppy Gee

 Love isin the air. How do you feel about writing sex scenes in crime fiction? Give asample of your favourite love or romance scene from your own work and tell usyour method for handling these relationships.

I hate writing sex scenes. They’re so embarrassing to write,especially since my sisters told me that whenever they read a sex scene in mybooks, they can’t help imagining I’m the character. That gives me writer's block.

In general, I feel like Australian writers are tentative intheir ap...