We’ve been talking about editing, an essential element in the writing process that writers relish. When you’re creating characters, polishing plot, and tossing red herrings around to mystify readers, it can be easy to lose sight of the book as a whole, to remember what happened in chapter four when you’re on chapter fourteen. Writers […]
Great writers don’t need an editor. They demand one. What first-rate writers understand is that another pair of eyes or a fresh pair of eyes are essential to successful communication. This second looks brings a new perspective, the distance that only time (even a little time) can offer, and renewed energy to improve content. Let’s […]
When I completed my first mystery novel, Hung Out to Die, I quickly discovered that the novel would not stand alone. A synopsis was required. As a freelance journalist and communications specialist, I’ve put together a lifetime of pitches and proposals. Still, I spent some time reading up on what makes a successful synopsis. Then […]
As the year draws to a close, I thought I would share with you a bit about my self-care journey. This article, originally published in The Globe and Mail, explores how I ended up on a yoga mat, twisted, inverted, and smiling. There were several occasions in the last three decades when I took a […]
Heroes and villains lurk in mysterious places. I realized this more fully than ever before when I was asked about my own leading lights and their nemeses. Here’s some of what I learned about my characters and breathing life (and sometimes death) into them. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write? I like […]
Where your characters live, work, and solve mysteries can be central to the story. Or not. I’ve discovered that location is not a requirement or an irrelevancy. It is a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, location is essential. As a result, you spend time bringing that location to life, making it real, and […]
I’ve been doing a lot of book readings recently from Hung Out to Die, my first mystery book. I thought I’d share the scene where the main character, Riel Brava, finds a dead body — and finds himself a suspect. I’m reaching for the hallway switch when I notice a light three doors down. That’s […]
Food seems to weave its way into my writing uninvited. In my latest book, Conflagration!, food is the foundation for a friendship that springs up in 1734 between the main character Philippe Archambeau, a court clerk, and the jailer he befriends. Lunch becomes a means to extract information, then it becomes much more. In my […]
Last month we talked about giving your story a title. Unlike article titles, book titles are usually the domain of the writer. This may be because the writer has a closer connection to the topic, the editor wants the writer to do the work, the writer and editor see it as the author’s prerogative. But […]
Let’s talk titles – not king, queen and my personal favourite, goddess – but the titles that alert readers to what is about to unfold before their eyes. I’d like to start by telling you a bit about myself – and my experience with titles. I am a freelance journalist and have written hundreds, actually […]