Style is defined as the characteristic manner of expression in prose or verse or how a particular writer phrases things. If we are to become better writers, we must develop our own sense of style. According to the Dictionary of Literary Terms & Theory, “the analysis of style involves examination of a writer’s choice of words, … Continue reading »
Tagged with literature …
How to Write Descriptively With Metaphors
Metaphors are one of the most used literary devices in the English language second only to similes. The problem with using similes is that they often cause your writing to become a mine field of quantifiers. (i.e. His breath was like the foul smell of a garbage heap and his face was like a pock … Continue reading »
Lazy Writing and How to Avoid It
I’ve been teaching writing for almost 14 years and have been writing fiction for 25. It has been my experience that anyone can write well if given the proper tools and education. Usually someone tip-toes into my classroom with their short story or poem or random work of fiction under their arm. They hold it … Continue reading »
Hubris: How to Write Great Villains Into Your Novel
Why do my students love the Joker so much? The guy has absolutely no redeeming qualities. He is completely mad, is an agent of chaos, loves to torture the innocent, has brought Gotham City to its knees on countless occasions, yet all the kids seem to love him. It is because he has what the … Continue reading »
Gone, Gone: Are All the Good Ideas Gone?
In the crazy firestorm that is the major motion picture The Hunger Games we need to stop a moment and realize with a small whimper of sadness that all the good ideas may be used up. Don’t judge me. The Hunger Games has a nice narrative, flows well, tells a good story and is all-in-all … Continue reading »
Deus Ex Machina: God Is Not A Crutch
Breaking Dawn is one of Stephanie Meyer’s most popular books, but it has within its pages a literary device that is something good writers should learn to use properly: deus ex machina. Deus ex machina is defined by my handy Dictionary of Literary Terms & Theory (Penguin) as: “any unanticipated intervener who resolves a difficult … Continue reading »
How To Find a Unique Narrative Style
One of the most difficult tasks of writing a long novel is the ability to create a narrative style that is unique, flows well, and remains consistent throughout the 50,000 words or so required for a novel. It also must be a style that catches a reader’s eye from the first few pages. I have … Continue reading »
Using Scrivener to Create a Proof Manuscript
Scrivener does many things automatically that have to be set up manually in Word. One of the things it does for novelists, writers of nonfiction and screenwriters is that it will format your document automatically for submission to a literary agent. It makes your document look professional and sharp with just a few clicks of … Continue reading »
How to Use Scrivener to Format an e-Book for Kindle and Nook
You all know how I feel about Scrivener, but it is truly the best program for novelists out there. For $49 it’s a steal and it is really not that complicated to use. Today I thought I would show you how to format a Kindle .mobi file and an .epub file that is used on … Continue reading »
The Whole Novel Method: Teaching Students to Think
I have discovered a way to teach novels or literature while teaching writing that best balances the learning experience for English students and gives us the tools to succeed in keeping with the Common Core Standards (CCS). I did not come up with this method on my own, but found out about it through a … Continue reading »
