Ah, yes—punctuation: The writing tool that grammar Nazis love to wield and many writers want to wish away. Trends English punctuation rules have largely remained the same over recent centuries, although punctuation does go through significant trends. For instance, during the 1600s most English writers used semicolons every time they wanted the reader to pause…
In the Beginning Due to the pandemic, numerous regional writing groups, long accustomed to physically gathering to attend live presentations or reviews, have morphed into online critique groups. Members of an at-large writing group in Utah have been participating in online critique sessions for eight years. When the chapter first began using email to exchange…
I’m writing a novella and suddenly I feel the muse telling me the story’s disenchanted circumstances are begging me to add a monster. Why? I ask. Comes the answer: Because these scenes are a bit mysterious, but not dark enough—or they’re a little spooky, but not scary enough. This story needs some tension. Hmmm. She’s…
In junior high I learned how to type on a Smith-Corona manual typewriter. My mother, a steno clerk, said all women should learn how to type. So I practiced on hers. In my high school typing class we all used Royal manual typewriters. Looking back, I don’t know how that teacher could stand that racket…
Movie trailers and book trailers are designed to provide just enough imagery, animation, and sound to entice the viewer to watch the whole movie or read the book. But those who create movie trailers have a distinct advantage in that the imagery, animation, and sound they need for their trailer comes right from the movie…