We stand with our players, the souls who populate our writing, and we think we know them pretty well as we write our books. But do we? Wha...

How you open your book determines whether it's read. What's opening your story right now? Is it compelling? Exciting, like a flower ...

I'm a huge fan of collage. Making a collage, from bits of magazine photos and words and sketches and pretty much anything that can be g...

Finding a pathway through your book project can seem impossible at times. You haven't a clue where you're going, and what seemed li...

Imagine standing in a forest. This photo is from our family trip to see the California redwoods. Magnificent doesn't even describe th...

I'm opening my book-writing weekly workshops to new writers, so consider joining me for the next six-week session, starting February 1. ...

A writing friend, Jean Sands, author of the newly released book of poems, Gandy Dancing, sent round a lovely collection of quotes from write...

Traditionally, at this time of year, I like to set some goals for my writing. Winter, when things are stripped bare, makes it easier to see...

Still life--it doesn't make for good stories. Bad decisions? They do. A friend from Florida just emailed me a list of random thoughts,...

A reader recently posted this excellent question: "I have many stories in which the characters are not easily appreciated. I am sure ma...