Search found 21 matches

by Mike Newman
Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:28 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
Replies: 27
Views: 27342

Re: Be a Better Writer--WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?

King's On Writing deserves all the acclaim it has received as well. Although more helpful to the pantsers out there than to the planners.

Mike
by Mike Newman
Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:30 pm
Forum: Contests, Writing Tips, Tools, and Freelance Opportunities
Topic: Scrivener - anybody use this software for writers?
Replies: 2
Views: 10471

Re: Scrivener - anybody use this software for writers?

Hey Jacki, I can't help with a personal comment, as I do not use it. My two comments, which you can take or leave of course, are the following: 1. I have heard many serious writers speak highly of it via podcast. 2. I think often we like the idea of writing and the tools of writing better than we do...
by Mike Newman
Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:28 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ALLITERATION
Replies: 32
Views: 47224

Re: Be a Better Writer--ALLITERATION

Jan, I read Smoke and Shadows, and enjoyed your use of alliteration. The bleak picture paragraph was where you really got your alliterative boogie going, and it was wonderfully done. Occasionally we string together words and out comes a beautiful sentence or two. Here is the gem I found in your stor...
by Mike Newman
Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:37 pm
Forum: New to the FaithWriters Platinum (500)
Topic: Joined a Few Days Ago, Just Saying Hello
Replies: 5
Views: 9560

Re: Joined a Few Days Ago, Just Saying Hello

Welcome Liana, looking forward to bumping into you around the site.


Mike
by Mike Newman
Tue Oct 15, 2013 10:55 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.
Replies: 61
Views: 62884

Re: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.

Borrow heavily, and then make it your own. Oscar Wilde knew of that which he spoke. I know it's not what happened in your case, but I would have no qualms about the beginning being similar. I would revise with an eye to turning enough inconsequential details away from the other narrative, but I woul...
by Mike Newman
Tue Oct 15, 2013 10:45 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)
Replies: 16
Views: 31417

Re: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)

Jan, I really enjoyed reading your story. I liked the splashes of color: the orange sneakers, the gray sheet, the golden pool in the mound of white, the purple box (my favorite). My two favorite lines: Two big boys walk past Billy’s building wearing identical orange sneakers. A hot, wheaty odor fill...
by Mike Newman
Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:02 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.
Replies: 61
Views: 62884

Re: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.

It did indeed. And your short but wonderful blurbs about your three faves just mighta hooked me. I'll have to get the ebooks and give them a read. I too find myself often going back to quality literary fiction. I read a lot of books and often recall little of what has come before, but a few standout...
by Mike Newman
Thu Oct 10, 2013 10:36 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.
Replies: 61
Views: 62884

Re: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.

Reader Jan, My question concerns your tastes when the time comes to hook a finger atop a well-worn paperback and slip it from among its unselected brethren. Is it literary fiction from a Franzen, or a genre novel from the likes of a King or a P.D. James? What do you consistently go back to when you ...
by Mike Newman
Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:04 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES
Replies: 23
Views: 28495

Re: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES

Looking at the same entry again, I only found five or six sentences that I labeled as compound. I'm not sure what the heck I would call most of my sentences. :D I think I need a good review of comma usage. I know I am guilty of splicing them often, and I like using them so should probably ensure I a...
by Mike Newman
Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:00 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES
Replies: 40
Views: 56344

Re: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES

Evening Jan, I chose Outside Looking In to review my use of short sentences. It is a past challenge entry of mine. Both your lesson and this review really highlighted for me my love of the long and winding sentence. There were only eleven or twelve short sentences in the entire thing, and at least h...
by Mike Newman
Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:15 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Jan's New Writing Lessons--TIGHT WRITING
Replies: 102
Views: 204805

Re: Jan's New Writing Lessons--TIGHT WRITING

Jan, I appreciate how it is frustrating for you to put out the effort and have diminishing returns. Two things to that: 1. I can only speak for myself, but I find value in it. It is really the only active area on the forum that is geared toward making us better at our craft. You do a fantastic job o...
by Mike Newman
Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:56 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Jan's New Writing Lessons--TIGHT WRITING
Replies: 102
Views: 204805

Re: Jan's New Writing Lessons--TIGHT WRITING

Doreen's eyes remained on her book despite the thump and rattle of the subway. The heavyweight next to her was too close. She stretched and moved toward the window. When the train hit a tunnel and the car darkened, Doreen again regretted her loyalty to the old-school paperback. She bookmarked her s...
by Mike Newman
Mon Sep 09, 2013 8:01 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Jan's New Writing Lessons--PUNCTUATING DIALOGUE
Replies: 14
Views: 18155

Re: Jan's New Writing Lessons--PUNCTUATING DIALOGUE

This is very helpful, thank you for this Jan. I have a question about dialogue tags since you got me thinking about them. Can I, if I so choose, use she said after a question instead of she asked (or some such variant)? I can't remember why but when writing recently I wanted to and didn't know if th...
by Mike Newman
Tue Aug 27, 2013 12:44 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: New Writing Lessons--WHAT A CRITIQUE LOOKS LIKE
Replies: 43
Views: 42967

Re: New Writing Lessons--WHAT A CRITIQUE LOOKS LIKE

Long live the dash! Talk of the dash reminded me of a question I have about its briefer cousin, the hyphen. If this is too far off topic, feel free to tell me to post this elsewhere. I tend to use a fair number of hyphenated adjectives and am wondering if that is distracting to the reader. Let's ass...
by Mike Newman
Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:47 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: New Writing Lessons--WHAT A CRITIQUE LOOKS LIKE
Replies: 43
Views: 42967

Re: New Writing Lessons--WHAT A CRITIQUE LOOKS LIKE

Thank you Jan and Graham for sharing that critique. It is very helpful to see how the writing is reviewed using the ratings sheet as well. My one question is about the second recommended dash, in the line "If prayer failed, all would be replaced ...". Would the dash be the ideal constructi...

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