Category: Technicalities

  • When Writing Upstages Story

    Upstage is a theater term. This is when one actor over-acts and pulls the attention of the audience to himself——regardless of the intended focus of…

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  • Charismatic Characters

    What I am offering here is not mine. It is Charles Baxter's.* I am bringing it here because it was an epiphany for me (or…

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  • Editing Your Work

    Writing and editing are vastly different tasks. Both are essential and both must be undertaken. It's important to know when you're doing one vs. the…

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  • Writing When the Story is Failing

    While writing earlier this week, the process felt like running in sand uphill. There was little evidence of progress. The desire to quit was great.…

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  • Fire

    I am finishing a late draft of my current long-form project. The setting of the story is agricultural, pre-electricity. The family uses open flame for…

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