Charlotte Lit’s Blog

Welcome to Charlotte Lit’s literary arts blog. What you’ll find here: craft essays, book reviews, previews of literary arts events, and anything else that catches our attention.

Paula Martinac

The Power of an Author’s Note

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I have a confession to make: If a novel contains an author’s note, I read it before I launch into the first chapter—even if it falls at the end of the book. I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember—both before I ever tried to write a book, and now that I […]

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Kristin Sherman

Little Jewels of Wisdom: Writing Advice Distilled

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I love to go to writing workshops and have attended at least one each year for nearly two decades. Below is the advice I have found most helpful. Most of the instructors were excellent, some less so, but each provided a little jewel of wisdom. 1. A novel needs conflict, both external and internal. The external […]

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Rick Pryll

How do you know when it’s done? (Or how I stopped hating and learned to love my imperfections)

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It’s the perennial question all writers face: You’ve written a piece, and good as it is, is it done? Have you done all you can to make it perfect? Before we get there, check the entry criteria. I call them table stakes. Consider these five points first.  Central point: If it takes more than one […]

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Paul Reali

15 Elements of a Great Blog Post

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This post was created by Paul’s Blogging Universe Part 1 class, January 10, 2019. An Intriguing Title Humor Life Relevant Inspirational Motivational How-to Clear and to the point Informative Teaches Surprises Connects to another idea or topic Links to other relevant content Worthy of my time The right length Entertaining

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