This post is an electronic version of my presentation at the NC Writers’ Network Fall Conference in Charlotte, November 2018. It includes links for many of the apps and concepts discussed. PROLOGUE: BEFORE WRITING The Backstory Before we sit down and write—on a device or on paper—there are many other things that happen, and which […]
The fall conference of the North Carolina Writers’ Network returns to Charlotte this year—November 2-4 at Hilton Charlotte University—so we have tips for those who are attending (or still thinking about it). There are deadlines in here, so read on down. BEFORE YOU GO Select Workshops in Advance. One sure way to know if you’ll […]
You can’t please everyone…or can you? Charlotte Lit’s 2018-19 Class Catalog has arrived, and we think it has something for everyone. More than 50 classes covering different genres, formats, lengths, teachers, and topics…it’s a cornucopia. Here’s a quick guide to navigating your choices. Craft Classes focus on writing skills. Are you writing? Chances are good we have […]
Special thanks to the Arts and Science Council, which awarded me a Regional Artist Project Grant to attend the Wildacres Writing Workshop this year. The warnings go something like this: “You’re thinking about Wildacres? It’s amazing, but you need to know about the Gong Show.” For more than 30 summers, writer and writing enthusiast Judi […]
Writer’s block does not exist. That might seem harsh, especially if you’ve experienced writer’s block. Let me clarify: I acknowledge that we can feel blocked, and that many writers call this feeling “writer’s block.” Immutable Law of Writing #3 contends that there is no ailment, no virus, no universal diagnosable condition called writer’s block. “Writer’s block” is […]
An object in motion stays in motion (and an object at rest stays at rest). Sir Isaac Newton said this first, and not about writing. Still, writing is a natural act, possibly a force of nature, and is just as subject to physics as everything else. Applied to your writing, the “object” in question is […]
The words are not going to write themselves. This seems obvious, no? Seems as if it doesn’t need to be said, yes? And yet, here it is, for your consumption, taking a prominent place as Immutable Law of Writing #1. Here’s the full story. I know many writers who do not write. I think what […]
In addition to being a seminal work of literature, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a beautifully-constructed story, and writers can learn by studying it. A memorable protagonist, compelling flashbacks, conflict and tension—and by the time the “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come” arrives, we’re totally sold on the ending, Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption. We bring it […]
A favorite book from my childhood is Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson. The story begins with a blank slate: just Harold and his crayon on an empty page. By drawing on the page with his crayon, Harold takes a journey and creates his world—pies and perils alike. Creative writers do something similar: […]
