How does a Squeamish, Nonviolent Author’s Series Include a War? by @sallyemberedd

Sally Ember, Ed.D.:

Thanks, Cate Russell-Cole, for giving me this forum to share a writing dilemma I’ve been having and how I’m solving it with violence in “The Spanners Series”!

Originally posted on Octopus Ink.org : The Blog of Cate Russell-Cole:

I am that author. When I first starting writing The Spanners Series, it didn’t even have any serious conflict or problems included. I mentioned or alluded to them in vague ways, but I didn’t elaborate. Then, my son read an early draft and called me out on that.

Sheesh. How did he get so insightful? I was completely avoiding dealing with the deadly details, the messy stuff, the hurt/harm my story must include. I didn’t want to read or think about it much less write any of it. Can’t we just keep it “off stage,” I queried? In my conversations with him and other beta readers as well as some online writer and in-person writer acquaintances, I realized I would have to “BITE THE BULLET” (even though I have no guns or bullets) and tell more of the nasty bits of my story, get up close and personal with the…

View original 1,031 more words

Filed under: Writing