Zoe M. McCarthy's Blog, page 24
February 25, 2016
Why You Should Murder Your Darling Words, Phrases & Ideas
“If I come across anything in my work that smacks of ‘good writing,’ I immediately strike it out.” —Elmore Leonard Who Said It Most writers have heard British journalist, critic, and novelist Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s saying, “Murder your darlings.” Quiller-Couch (1863-1944) said: “Style, for example, is not—can never be—extraneous Ornament. … Whenever you feel […]
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February 18, 2016
How to Find the Amazing Word for That Thingy, Modifier, or Action
“Flip Dictionary takes you from a “meaning” you are aware of to the “word” you need.” —Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph.D. In a scene, my character senses a reverent atmosphere, but I didn’t want to use atmosphere. I couldn’t summon the word I wanted. Microsoft Word’s thesaurus offered ambiance, feeling, mood, and others. I knew […]
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February 11, 2016
Turn Your Scene That’s Becoming a Cliché Into a Reader’s Surprise
“I look for ways to purposely write myself into corners and then use them to my advantage.” —Steven James (Writer’s Digest July/August 2015) While writing a scene, I realized it was turning into a cliché for a Christmas story. Snow falls and the couple builds a snowman or starts a snowball fight. I thought, […]
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February 4, 2016
Actions Trump Thoughts & Feelings in Unveiling Character
“Characters reveal themselves more vividly in what they do and say than in what they think and feel.” —David Corbett Note the above quote from “Characters, Scene by Scene,” by David Corbett in the January 2015 Writer’s Digest issue. Corbett explains that actions show a character has made a choice. A character’s choices reveal […]
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January 28, 2016
Surprise Your Readers With a Red Herring; They’ll Love It
“What your characters observe—or don’t—can be effective red herrings.” —Jane K. Cleland (Writer’s Digest February 2016) Definition of a red herring: In storytelling, a red herring is an author’s intentional misdirection of the reader or a character. The author introduces a clue, fallacy, issue, or “smoke screen” that distracts, diverts, or throws off […]
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January 21, 2016
18 Speaking Tips to Rivet Your Audience
“Your goal should not be to ‘deliver a presentation.’ It should be to inspire your audience, to move them, and to encourage them to dream bigger.” —Amy Carmine Gallo If I’m going to put my trembling body before an audience, I want to rivet the members with what I believe is important. I read, Talk […]
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January 14, 2016
Writing Spaces that Could Change How You Create & Write
“I needed a change of scenery in order to continue writing my third novel. A big move … from one side of the family room to the other.” —Amy Sue Nathan (Writers Digest July/August 2015) We writers pen our works from such places as a corner in the family room, a coffee shop, a library, […]
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January 7, 2016
How to Hatch a Solid & Meaningful Theme For Your Story
“A story without a theme is little more than a list of events.” —Grace Jolliffe Never again, in a novel proposal, during a pitch, or at a social event, stare blankly when asked, “What is your story’s theme?” Get a handle on what theme is. Expert 1 James Scott Bell gives several pointers about developing […]
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December 31, 2015
Most Authors Write Alone, But Here’s One Co-Author Worth Considering
“All writers find themselves – at some point – in the desert. A place where they feel isolated. Burnt out. Disheartened. Fearful.” —Allen Arnold Was last year’s writing experience less outstanding than you hoped? Possibly, you’re working as if you’re an orphan—not so much alone—but as an orphan. I’ll expand on this. I listened to […]
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December 24, 2015
A Lively Indoor Winter Activity for Children
“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today … a Savior has been born to you … the Messiah, the Lord.” —Luke 2:10-11 NIV Winter is upon us. Here’s my Christmas gift to you who have children, grandchildren, or teach preschoolers. In winter, children must often stay inside when […]
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