Tag Archives: writers

Writing in the Check Out Line

Posted on February 6, 2012 by fairysockmother

Details enrich writing. Fortunately, they aren’t hard to find. Material is constantly available, ready to be mixed into whatever literary concoction you are working on. Gather characters and images while you stand in line at the grocery store: That sobbing baby who pats his … Continue reading →

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Winter Evenings

Posted on January 12, 2012 by fairysockmother

Dark  winter evenings draw us inexorably inward, just as people used to gather to hear stories around a crackling fire. We may think times have changed but we still crave the warmth and comfort of the metaphorical hearth when the … Continue reading →

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Through the Eyes of a Child

Posted on December 12, 2011 by fairysockmother

Sometimes, we think that children are exposed to so much flashy media stimulus that it is hard to capture their imagination with just books. After a recent preschool visit where I read The Christmas Cats, I passed out bookmarks to … Continue reading →

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The Allure of Poetry

Posted on October 6, 2011 by fairysockmother

I just read a beautiful poem called “The Long Marriage” by Tom Mallouk  in Goodreads October newsletter. It brought tears to my eyes. What is it about poetry that strikes a chord in most of us? Is it the concise juxtaposition … Continue reading →

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Critiques

Posted on September 19, 2011 by fairysockmother

We all like to feel we’ve written the perfect manuscript, but it’s always better to get a second opinion. When you are immersed in the creative process, it’s hard to spot inconsistencies in your own work. Readers will find the holes in … Continue reading →

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And the Title is…

Posted on September 3, 2011 by fairysockmother

Great titles keep leaping out at me from the oddest places this week! I’ve stockpiled eight of them since Monday! They hint at new mysteries, fantasies, fairytales, and picture books. They are like a diving board into a pool of infinite possibilities. Characters … Continue reading →

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Which Comes First: Plot or Characters?

Posted on August 27, 2011 by fairysockmother

It is amazing how little it takes to spark the concept for a story or a novel. Sometimes a simple conversation or a news story makes me wonder, what if, and I’m off plotting some new project.  More often, it is a casual meeting with … Continue reading →

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Technology and Writing

Posted on August 14, 2011 by fairysockmother

The first time I submitted a children’s book I had to ask my aunt to type the manuscipt for me. Thank heavens, I got a computer soon after that. I can’t even imagine writing a novel on a typewriter. I tweak my manuscripts … Continue reading →

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Writers and Ivory Towers

Posted on August 5, 2011 by fairysockmother

Sometimes writers crave isolation – peace and quiet to work undisturbed – but I often find my best insights come from interaction with lots of people and places. While I may secretly long for an ivory tower, it is only … Continue reading →

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