The Power of Words
As writers, we must weigh the words we use — are they positive? powerful? promising? Here is a short film that illustrates this very well. The right words can change our world and perspective on life.
The Moving Word
Sharing my life as a writer, bookworm, & Fibromyalgia sufferer
Archive for the month “October, 2011”
Write To Be Quoted
Writers should never use flowery language simply to impress the reader with their skill. The story or the article is the focus, not us. We stand behind the piece we are writing.
Overwriting is an unforgivable sin. It cheapens the story and distracts the reader, negating any work we have done. Accordingly, the story or message we have labored to create has no audience because of our ego.
Instead, write to be quoted. We utilize all of our skills to construct powerful sentences that stand out in the reader’s mind. We have our own Hemingway or Dickens moment.
The turn of a phrase blends into the story but towers majestically above it. It is the master brush stroke, for which we rejoice and the agony of all our labors wash away.
Imagine the scene when the reader stops reading and shares the sentence with a loved one. Pursue this priceless moment with a passion, knowing we have created a sentence that is resilient and timeless. Such craftsmanship is how books become old and well-worn.
Always strive to grow as a writer, never settling for mediocrity. Practice, learn, dream and when it all comes to focus in a pristine piece of prose, we are ebullient about the thing of beauty our mind has crafted.
Be proud and try to do it again.
Have to Keep Reading…
Great novels are jealous lovers that consume you & won’t let you go. You read in the car, bathroom, the park and the office — everywhere you can snatch a moment to spend with them. Bleary-eyed, you march on, hand in hand, until the end.
Then, you miss them when they are gone, knowing you still have the memories to sustain you on long days when the pain of separation becomes unbearable.
That is, until another one bats its eyes and pulls you into its spell…
Writer’s Workshop
On October 22, 2011, I will be conducting a Writer’s Workshop at the Live Oak Public library in Hinesville, Georgia. I will be posting some of my notes here after the Workshops. If you are in our area, we would love to have you there from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.
I’ve never been to a Writer’s Workshop in this format. I’ve attended lectures by writers and I always enjoyed them immensely. I love the subject and possess a great passion for writing. It is my first love and has been with me since I began writing short stories in the fourth grade.
I am always learning and growing in my knowledge and I want to share some of that learning here, when I get time. My website needs more TLC from its author. Hope to accomplish that.
Thank you for visiting my website! God Bless.
Reviewing “Outlining Your Novel”
K.M. Weiland’s book, “Outlining Your Novel” is a wonderful resource for writers. She proposes a program where most of the hard work is done before we begin our first word. We design the plot, characters and scenes through brainstorming, planning and hard work.
Like an architect, we build the house on paper, so we can easily construct it on the property. When we finish the planning stage, we will have a clear destination in mind.
Writers can become lost in the morass of their imagination and produce a disjointed first draft that requires massive revisions and heartache. Why not save the stress and pain relievers by outlining?
Weiland is cognizant of the need for fresh ideas and allows writers the option of deviating from their original plan. Our characters become living, breathing individuals with a measure of freewill. They have to go their own way, sometimes. Accordingly, she provides input on how to let our characters blaze new paths while retaining our own vision. Some characters do need a leash, after all.
“Outlining Your Novel” is a treasure for aspiring and experienced writers that will be retrieved again and again.
