Earlier this month, I attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference in Seattle. The sheer volume and diversity of program offerings at AWP can be overwhelming and after my newbie experience last year, trying to attend back-to-back panels from 9-5 three days in a row, I opted for a more targeted approach…
When writing, I begin each new novel by composing the last chapter first. Thus, I have a target toward which to steer my narrative. I often challenge myself by placing my characters as far as possible–emotionally and geographically–from the feeling and setting of my finale. Just to be clear, I’m not kidding when I declare…
Writing a novel is no laughing matter. Or is it? Incorporating humor into your writing can add depth, lighten the mood, and make your characters more relatable. But how do you add humor without turning your novel into a comedy? Here are six things to keep in mind so you can strike the right balance….
When last year’s Bizarre Bazaar anthology was published, Colorado’s changing climate was already on my mind. In December 2021, a few weeks after that feeble dusting that registered as Denver’s latest first snowfall on record, the Marshall Fire incinerated a thousand homes in Louisville and Superior. Gale force winds drove the inferno through entire neighborhoods….
Oh, boy. Now I’ve done it. I’ve put myself in the situation where I MUST write, on my own stuff, every day for the next six months. This has become a matter of write or perish. Ever since the fifth grade, I’ve dreamed of being a successful creative writer…you know, the kind who gets published…