By Warren Hammond Why do you read fiction? You might say compelling characters. Or high-stakes drama. Maybe you love the plot twists you didn’t see coming. Those are all valid responses, but when taken alone, isn’t each of them inadequate? Don’t you read fiction for all those reasons, plus probably dozens of others that I…
Tag: guest blogger
Engineering a Mystery
By Beth Groundwater I’ve taught a number of workshops at many different writing conference, library programs, and to writing groups, and one of my favorites is “Engineering a Mystery.” I apply my engineering background from my first career to help fledgling mystery writers build some scaffolding for their projects, or formulate recipes for their mystery…
It’s All Relative
By Ross Willard I’m cold. I know, I know, it’s winter and we’re all cold, but, if you can hang on for a moment and trust me, my being cold is actually kind of relevant. You see, I’m visiting my parents in a small town in Texas where we have a farm. Right now, it’s…
Tips on Working with a Manuscript Reader
By Alissa Johnson When I finish a book I love, I turn past the last page. I look for anything I can read so I don’t have to set it down. I want to stay immersed in the feeling of the book. Inevitably, my search takes me to the author’s Acknowledgements Page. I’ve come to…
Finding Inspiration and Suspense in Nature
By Kim McMahill Authors garner inspiration for their stories from a plethora of sources. Some observe, watching life unfold around them, absorbing the possibilities and twisting reality into dramatic fiction; some feed off emotions; others rely solely on active imaginations; and many embrace adventure through the endless bounty of nature. I accept inspiration whenever and…