Every writer has one—or two—or three. When I first started writing fiction, I was writing blind. I was a trained journalist and understood non-fiction, but writing a novel… Suffice it to say, it presented a number of new challenges. At the time, we were living in Frisco (Colorado), and there were no writers groups, no…
Tag: RMFW
Thrillers, Part 1 of 4
In my four-part blog series on the Thriller genre, I’m going to discuss the core nature of the thriller and what sets it apart from other forms of fiction. In three future segments, I plan to discuss the hero(es), the villain(s) and plotting and pacing. My intent is to offer some insights to fellow thriller-writers…
Comedy In Fiction
One of my favorite movies of all time, Front Page, features one of the first cinematic examples of what has come to be known as “snappy dialog”: a rapid-fire exchange of witty banter and rejoinders. When a stand-up comedian drops a clunker (delivers a joke that earns little to no laughter) he can sometimes be…
Critiquing Can Be Hard Work, But…
When critiquing the work of colleagues, whether in a critique group or just between friends, the hardest thing is when it’s a topic, genre or style you don’t normally enjoy reading in your leisure time. It isn’t often spoken about, but it’s true. It can sometimes be an interminable slog to try to read and…
Invest in your Writing Career
If you didn’t attend the 2017 Annual Education Event last month in Golden, take a moment to kick yourself. Really. The event was nearly sold out, and if not for a last minute storm that came through it would have been a tight fit to get everyone in, and for good reason. With a morning…