tips

Writing Tips

That Creepy Feeling — Writing Shivery Stories

By 1 Comment
That Creepy Feeling — Writing Shivery Stories

First, let me say that this is what my average family gathering looks like around the holidays. The poisonous mushrooms steaming up grandma’s crystal platter. The live goldfish flitting about wide-eyed in their bowl, wondering if they’ll be swallowed whole or if cousin Octavia will get a hold of them first. Cousin Octavia likes to play with her food. Then there’s the questionable Jell-o, the stuffed gecko and Aunt Muriel’s bottle of Chanel No 5. Always handy when the still-beating heart hidden under the floorboards starts to smell.Addams Family DinnerOkay, my real family gatherings aren’t quite so grim, but they would make a good setting for a tummy-turning tale. So what are the secret ingredients to a juicy, brain-curdling yarn? (more…)

Writing Tips

Writing Memorable Characters

By 2 Comments
Writing Memorable Characters

From the misunderstood Lady Macbeth to the beloved Wilbur the pig, some literary characters stick with us long after the story ends. They are powerful, conniving, selfless, greedy and, most of all, far from ordinary. Like Paul Bunyan, these unforgettable characters tower over the rest and make even the most mundane moments seem larger-than-life.

shakespearchars

So how can you turn your run-of-the-mill lumberjack into a literary giant? (more…)

Writing Tips

Writer vs. Dr. Dread

By 2 Comments
Writer vs. Dr. Dread

You know that moment halfway through a sentence when a sour taste creeps up the back of your throat? Is it the coffee and candy straws you ate for breakfast making an unwanted reappearance? Nope, it’s that crusty slimeball of awfulness I call Dr. Dread.49710_XXX_v1And no, he’s not a delicious combination of Jamaican seasonings, but he is a real jerk. I’m talking about fear. (more…)