Search found 297 matches
- Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:15 am
- Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
- Topic: Finger Pointing
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7901
Re: Finger Pointing
I write a blog that tends to be very personal. I don't do a lot of devotional pieces, but when I do, I work very hard at making them non-preachy. I'm so sensitive to preachiness that I'll often stop reading at the first sentence if a piece has a "holier than thou" air to it. I'm afraid it's often wh...
- Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:02 am
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Yesterday, I went to the store for a few minutes. We'd had a sewage overflow running down our driveway for the past few days. Oh my!!! :| Pup, those girls are adorable! We are so far away from flowers here! The lake is still locked in ice (although the swans have returned to the open spot where the...
- Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:29 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Fantastic poem, Pup! Congrats! 

- Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:15 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
I read all of RachelM's blog posts. She's informative and entertaining. I'd like to do more blogging but the hard part is coming up with something to say. I guess it doesn't have to be always about God. Here's my latest blog post http://www.praize.com/blogs/Detailed/29136.html Thanks, Jaybird! It's...
- Wed Mar 09, 2016 12:18 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Hiya Rachel, glad to hear you are having fun. Um, did you remember pictures? I haven't even seen snow in years, let alone go playing in it. :roll: Hmmm. Let's see if I can remember how to post pictures. Here's my girls and a friend. We were actually trudging uphill here (fantastically good exercise...
- Mon Mar 07, 2016 4:28 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Rachel, I thought maybe you'd fallen off the earth. I've missed you. I was going to send you a note this week to tell you so. You're lucky you only ache, cuz your legs could've gotten a break--but not the kind you wanted! Teehee :tongue Awww, thanks for missing me. :D I'm thankful I didn't have any...
- Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:52 pm
- Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
- Topic: Realistic Dialog
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4693
Re: Realistic Dialog
This is a great lesson, Jan! I'm not sure if I'm unusual in this, but I "hear" my characters and write down what they say and how they say it. I imagine the scenes as I write them, and I can hear their distinct voices (deep, hesitant, nonchalant etc.) Maybe it's just an imagination on steriods. Does...
- Sun Mar 06, 2016 1:01 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
You guys sound like you're having fun. :wink: I'm aching all over. I took the kids skiing on Friday. It was my first time in 22 years, and the hill we went on doesn't have a ski lift--just rope tows and a t-bar, so my poor legs didn't get a break all day. It was worth it, though. :D The snow is goin...
- Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:27 am
- Forum: Page Turner Writing Contest
- Topic: 2015 Page Turner Feedback - All Sent
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4068
Re: 2015 Page Turner Feedback Heading Out
Yay!!! I was just asking myself why I'm constantly checking my email, and as soon as I saw this post I realized it's because I'm so eager to receive the feedback!
- Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:04 am
- Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
- Topic: Be a Better Writer--Cliches
- Replies: 6
- Views: 6469
Re: Be a Better Writer--Cliches
"take the bull by the horns" to "look the dragon in the eye" I find it's always challenging to replace a cliche, because the reason they're cliches is they're good. Of course they're also tired and lost their meaning, but it takes time to come up with fresh metaphors. This lesson is timely for me. I...
- Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:47 pm
- Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
- Topic: A week off, and a question
- Replies: 15
- Views: 11871
Re: A week off, and a question
Jan, What about a general lesson on scenes? Current novel-writing advice seems to recommend cutting in and out of scenes as close to the action as possible--more like a movie. I like how it makes the writing more immediate and intense, but I think it leads to choppiness and some scenes that are too ...
- Wed Dec 02, 2015 1:54 am
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Awww, Shann! Thank you for your continuous encouragement! You were my very first writing mentor. :D I'd be happy to have you read my novel. It has to be finished Dec. 7. Yesterday I learned that my book had won 3rd place in the Page Turner, and that it had also been long-listed for the Caledonia Nov...
- Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:58 am
- Forum: Page Turner Writing Contest
- Topic: Winners - 2015 Page Turner Contest
- Replies: 6
- Views: 5454
Re: Winners - 2015 Page Turner Contest
Congratulations Debbie and Harriett!!!
A huge thank you to Deb and all the judges and staff that make the Page Turner possible! You're nurturing authors.


A huge thank you to Deb and all the judges and staff that make the Page Turner possible! You're nurturing authors.


- Sat Nov 28, 2015 10:59 pm
- Forum: The Water Cooler
- Topic: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
- Replies: 20649
- Views: 4539989
Re: Pacific Coast Rest-Stop
Hugs, Shann!!! 

- Sun Nov 22, 2015 2:25 am
- Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
- Topic: Be a Better Writer--MAN VS. NATURE CONFLICT
- Replies: 3
- Views: 4618
Re: Be a Better Writer--MAN VS. NATURE CONFLICT
The movie Gravity was a man-vs. nature conflict. Most of the movie had only one character on screen--Sandra Bullock's character, but the movie was deeply emotional and riveting as she fought overwhelming odds to make it back to earth. My novel's main conflict was originally man vs. self, but then I ...