Zoe M. McCarthy's Blog, page 23
May 5, 2016
5 Cases: How to Write Infrequent Phrases – Part 1
“Like everything metaphysical the harmony between thought and reality is to be found in the grammar of the language.” —Ludwig Wittgenstein Often grammar books and publishers differ in on how to handle grammar rules. Sometimes it’s hard to find the answer. (I’ve thumbed through books to see if anyone else was in my predicament.) In […]
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April 28, 2016
5 Easy Techniques to Bulk Up a Paper-Thin Character
“[An] error of inexperienced writers—or journalists in a hurry—is to confine characterization to the obvious physical attributes.” —Sol Stein Let’s build a character. I based the 5 easy techniques on Sol Stein’s suggestions in Stein on Writing. Let’s say we want to introduce the father of our heroine. Telling readers he’s an angry brute gives […]
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April 21, 2016
10 Fixes to Edit Unclear and Wordy Sentences
“Telling me to ‘Be clear’ is like telling me to ‘Hit the ball squarely.’ I know that. What I don’t know is how to do it.” —Joseph M. Williams First, lets look at an unclear, wordy passage. Grayson said he’d made a decision not to return to their relationship due to the fact that Ella was […]
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April 14, 2016
What 5 Experts Say About Writing Story Settings
“Many early-career authors treat setting as merely an element of the background – an incidental necessity, maybe, but a tertiary craft concern when compared to plot or character development or dialogue.”—Jacob M. Appel “Know Your Place” Writer’s Digest November/December 2013 Let’s get started: Jacob M. Appel – “Know Your Place” (Writer’s Digest November/December 2013). Appel […]
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April 7, 2016
Use These Moviemaker Wisdoms to Bring Your Novel’s Scenes to Life
“The style, technique and methods used in film and TV are so familiar to us, we process them comfortably. To some degree, we now expect these elements to appear in the novels we read – if not consciously, then subconsciously.” —C. S. Lakin I read, “Writing a Novel? 6 Visual Storytelling Techniques to Borrow From […]
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March 31, 2016
One Easy Way to Take an Unexceptional Scene in a New Direction
“First attempts are usually not the best. There’s a reason the “test” pancake is usually a throwaway, and upgraded cellphone models are rolled out roughly every four days.” —Leigh Anne Jasheway “Improv/e Your Writing” Writer’s Digest November/December 2013 I wanted to try one of Leigh Anne Jasheway’s 10 games from her article, “Improv/e Your Writing” […]
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March 24, 2016
A 50-Item Checklist You Won’t Want to Leave Your Scene Without
“Scenes are capsules in which compelling characters undertake significant actions in a vivid and memorable way that allows the events to feel as though they are happening in real time.” —Jordan E. Rosenfeld (Make a Scene) Scene Checklist Purpose [ ] Has 3 reasons the scene should exist. Possibilities: Progresses or changes character’s goal […]
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March 17, 2016
3 Components That Help You Create a Strong Story
Today my guest is Jennifer Slattery. She gives powerful suggestions to help us strengthen our stories. Be sure to learn more about her novel, Breaking Free, at the end of her post. Jennifer: When stories fall flat, more often than not, one can trace this back to a few key issues: The […]
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March 10, 2016
A Mentor Character Can Work Wonders for Your Story
“The role of mentor is a powerful one, and can help you steer your protagonist in new directions without having to lay much ground work.” —Elizabeth Sims (Writer’s Digest May/June 2015) A mentor is a special secondary character whose basic purposes are the same as other secondary characters: exists to support a main character […]
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March 3, 2016
5 Techniques to Add Suspense to Your Story in Any Genre
“Every novel needs a narrative engine, a reason for people to keep reading to the end, whatever the subject, style, genre or approach.” —Lee Child Something was missing from my romance. Through prayer and research, I realized I hadn’t created enough suspense in my story. Although many others exist, these suspense-adding techniques ignited me […]
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