Advice
Three Coins in the Fountain
You’ve made up your mind. You are going for it! You want to become a writer. Now, where do you go from there? There is the old-school way: libraries, reference books, or published how-to books. I have tried that. It’s butt-numbing, like doing research for a term paper. Now, lucky us, we have the internet and devices that ensure you do not have to break a sweat finding a place for your writing. This is where I come in today.
By Alexandra Grant5 months ago in Writers
Writers Block
Here's what I see the little cursor teasing me asking me to write. Write something moving, motivating or just plain weird. Where do I start? Maybe from the beginning, but where will that take me? Will I have an initial incident? A problem to solve? Again, I have no idea, but there goes that little text cursor blinking. Expecting me to write. Chat GPT, should I rely on the AI that has been taking jobs left and right? Forget about editing and rewriting when AI can do it for you. Forget about coming up with clever ideas, when Chat GPT can write that for me. Forget about the twists in my plot, the storylines that captivates an audience when AI can just do the hard work for me. I used to just stare at the blank page before me hoping something would come to me, but now I can ask Chat GPT "Hey there, give me an idea to write about?" and boom the AI immediately starts writing down ideas and splurging on without needing to think about it, I wish my brain worked like that.
By Adrianna M. Braun5 months ago in Writers
Exposition
What is exposition? Exposition is writing designed to explain. In fiction, it’s often referred to as “information dumping,” and it’s usually indicative of a need for further drafting. Sure, it’s necessary sometimes, but unless you’re John Steinbeck, you’re not going to find serious readers who will tolerate much of it. It’s essentially announcing “here’s a bunch of information I didn’t bother crafting into story.” Exposition should always be evaluated for necessity with the most critical eye available. Nine times out of ten, there’s no justification for it. Steinbeck used exposition in his novels, but not as a substitute for developed story. Steinbeck also editorializes, but here’s the catch: he earned it. I certainly don’t flatter myself that I’ve accomplished or earned what he has. Exposition should be justified—not wholesale (totally not a thing), but passage by passage, and if you’re comfortably inside the word count, you almost always should bring the passage into narrative present.
By Harper Lewis 5 months ago in Writers
How Authors Create Characters Readers Remember. AI-Generated.
How Authors Create Characters Readers Remember Think about your favorite book character for a moment. Chances are, you remember far more than their name. You remember their flaws, their choices, their fears, and perhaps even how they made you feel. Some fictional characters remain vivid years after readers finish a book, while others fade almost immediately from memory.
By Miguel Oliver5 months ago in Writers
Spinning Wheels
So you say you’re a new writer. How’s that going? Daunting, isn’t it? I hear you. I’m about a year and one month into my writing journey. The amount of information out there is mind-boggling. The quality of the information and advice is mixed, but more than that, the people writing it forget who they’re writing for. That is extremely frustrating. I’m going to give you some valuable information that won’t cost you anything. It’s coming from a very new writer who would like to see some improvements in the field. I promise to be honest and straightforward with you, so you can make informed decisions.
By Alexandra Grant5 months ago in Writers
Why We Feel Undervalued On Vocal
Introduction This happens to me a lot and while we value feedback from our peers (and every read and comment they make on our stories rewards us with half a cent, we still appreciate a Top Story or even a Challenge win, placement or mention. I have written about this many times before:
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 5 months ago in Writers
My Ever Evolving Vocal Audience
Introduction I recently lost a reader which sort of upset me, because although I supported that person, they just stopped reading and commenting on my work, though they still are actively commenting on others work, so I must have offended them, though I and my friends probably know the real reason.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 5 months ago in Writers
Vocal Tips And Guides (And Prompts And Ideas And ...)
Introduction This has come about by people getting aggravated by Challenge Results being late, or the fact there are no new Challenges, despite there being a lot of unofficial challenges around. I run one each month.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 5 months ago in Writers
