Search found 68 matches

by WriterFearNot
Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:22 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--RESOURCES FOR THE WRITER
Replies: 13
Views: 19418

Re: Be a Better Writer--RESOURCES FOR THE WRITER

@Nancy, I used Scrivener to write my first novel. Once the story was pretty much finished and ready for final editing, it was easier to transfer the document to Word and work from there. But for those earlier versions, when I had so many trailing thoughts, Scrivener was a fantastic writing tool, all...
by WriterFearNot
Mon Mar 02, 2015 1:13 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--CHOOSING A POV CHARACTER
Replies: 16
Views: 19924

Re: Be a Better Writer--CHOOSING A POV CHARACTER

Regarding question #5... what problems could arise from writing from the POV of an inanimate object. I once wrote about a candelabra named Fernando and as I wrote from his POV, I kept thinking of Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. I also included God, like, God Himself, in the story and I think that...
by WriterFearNot
Mon Jan 05, 2015 5:53 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer -- GENDER NEUTRAL LANGUAGE
Replies: 30
Views: 28365

Re: Be a Better Writer -- GENDER NEUTRAL LANGUAGE

And this is what many anti-gender neutral folks would say. It's purely a matter of opinion in this case, and you should feel free to use 'mankind' if that feels better to you. You'll want to keep in mind both your audience and your publisher. If your audience consists of many people of a younger ge...
by WriterFearNot
Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:42 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer -- GENDER NEUTRAL LANGUAGE
Replies: 30
Views: 28365

Re: Be a Better Writer -- GENDER NEUTRAL LANGUAGE

Jan, thank you for this lesson! I appreciate the perspective, and the instruction. But since I'm a bit of a rebel, too, I skipped doing the homework. Instead, I have a comment and a question. Comment: It seems like a shame to convert "mankind" into a gender neutral term. Isn't mankind, lik...
by WriterFearNot
Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:39 pm
Forum: Ann's Grammar Basics
Topic: Let's Go!
Replies: 13
Views: 16709

Re: Let's Go!

Yes! I see the earlier "Comma" threads. I will check them out.

Thanks :D
by WriterFearNot
Thu Nov 06, 2014 3:27 pm
Forum: Ann's Grammar Basics
Topic: Let's Go!
Replies: 13
Views: 16709

Re: Let's Go!

I'm in. :thumbs

I would love to learn more about 1) the proper use of commas, and 2) proper, creative use of commas (if there is such a thing).

Theresa
by WriterFearNot
Sat Sep 13, 2014 3:38 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--USING IMAGERY
Replies: 50
Views: 54515

Re: Be a Better Writer--USING IMAGERY

Here's my example of imagery. It's an excerpt from an old Challenge entry (revised for this lesson). Any and all feedback welcome. I fan out my shirt and glance at my sister who is sitting and sweating in the chair next to me. My uncle stands on the other side of the room like an immovable rock. It’...
by WriterFearNot
Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:13 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM CRITIQUE
Replies: 7
Views: 8838

Re: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM CRITIQUE

Hmmm. I posted a reply on Saturday, but I must have gotten distracted (by a squirrel or something) before I submitted it, because it's not here! Then I was struck by a never-ending migraine, and now, finally, I'm out of that dark tunnel. Anyway, what I had said, but failed to submit was that I reall...
by WriterFearNot
Sat Jul 26, 2014 1:50 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--DEALING WITH NEGATIVE CRITIQUE
Replies: 48
Views: 56108

Re: Be a Better Writer--DEALING WITH NEGATIVE CRITIQUE

Jan, what great timing...right when I'm receiving the strongest criticism of my life :wink: Number one says it all. It's important to remember that your writing is not YOU. Writer's become so attached to writing, it can be like walking into a restaurant to meet a bunch of people and they're all like...
by WriterFearNot
Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:40 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--TELL, DON'T SHOW? WHAT?
Replies: 42
Views: 45704

Re: Be a Better Writer--TELL, DON'T SHOW? WHAT?

One of the most overdone "tellings" I notice is the naming of emotions. By simply scanning a document and removing/replacing every instance where an emotion is named, the level of telling would decrease. Sure, there are situations where naming an emotion is appropriate, but in most cases I...
by WriterFearNot
Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:52 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS
Replies: 44
Views: 43117

Re: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS

On the topic of "learning from the pros," I enjoy reading classics. They take more work to read than today's fiction because they often have way more pages, longer and more complicated sentences, and much bigger paragraphs. And I wouldn't try to copy that aspect of their style, but what I ...
by WriterFearNot
Sun Jun 08, 2014 4:46 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS
Replies: 44
Views: 43117

Re: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS

Sounds like a good book, Shann!
by WriterFearNot
Sat Jun 07, 2014 8:08 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS
Replies: 44
Views: 43117

Re: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS

The results of my self-psychoanalysis were fascinating. Here’s a glimpse of it, showing how 1) an interview question led to an inner value, which in turn led to a particular mannerism, and 2) I traced a mannerism back to an inner value and its roots: 1. “Theresa, tell me about your parents.” They we...
by WriterFearNot
Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:16 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS
Replies: 44
Views: 43117

Re: Be a Better Writer--LEARNING FROM THE PROS

I'm currently reading a nonfiction book, does that count? I'll comment on it anyway, just in case, because I'm enjoying this book: Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors, by Brandilyn Collins. The methods taught in this book are based on what Brandilyn Collins (a best...
by WriterFearNot
Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:42 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--A FEW LOOSE ENDS
Replies: 24
Views: 22688

Re: Be a Better Writer--A FEW LOOSE ENDS

Well, Steve, it looks like you may have converted me! I could never have pictured myself sitting and counting out my words and sentences, but when you mentioned the Readability Statistics tool, you got my attention. I tested this tool out on a chapter I'm working on, and here were my results: Senten...

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