from the book: Savvy Stories: funny things I learned from my daughter http://geni.us/1FKm My daughter is FIVE now! Here’s my recollection of that very first, very special Father’s Day. (The pictures are just a few faves of me and my kid to date.) Enjoy. In June came my first Father’s Day. In anticipation of it, […]
What Makes A Great Dad GREAT? When my second Father’s Day rolled around, I asked my female friends what it meant to be a great dad to a little girl. Savannah was our one and only child, so I wanted to do it right. I have never forgotten these words of wisdom my friends shared […]
Jenny Allen is an amazing talent. I met her in a critique group because I wanted some female eyes to look at a story I was working on. Yet another reason to join a critique group. More on that HERE She had written a fantasy story – I hate fantasies – and I grudgingly returned […]
Welcome, new subscribers! It’s been a fun week, with blog traffic up almost 300% from last week – and last week was a record week. I am humbled by the many new subscribers. Thank you for joining and trusting me to help your writerly efforts. If you’d like the free book I promised you for […]
We needed something minor for dinner, some rolls or milk or something, so Savvy and I made a quick run to the store to get it. Since it had been raining, it was darker earlier than usually, and the skies looked more like sunset than they normally would have. It was probably a habit from […]
I recently helped an author friend with some action scenes in her fantasy story. (It’s awesome, by the way. I can’t put it down and I hate fantasy. Check back for announcements about its release. You’ll love it. If she wasn’t so damned shy I’d be telling you about it and her right now.) We’ve […]
I draw lots of similarities between acting and writing, but as a writer you get to potentially be the actor, actress, director, producer – on and on. That’s a lot of hats, but here are a few take away tips you might like. Put Yourself Out There. Be brave. Take risks in your writing. In […]
Peter Dinklage – you know him now from Game of Thrones, but there was a time when he was a struggling actor. Skip the opening and the thank yous and spend 25 minutes listening to a guy who struggled and made it. I have always seen similarities between acting and writing; you’ll see some of […]
Yesterday we discussed some basic tips to improve your writing the way a critique group would. https://atomic-temporary-57188753.wpcomstaging.com/2015/06/14/critiquing-your-own-stories-part-one/ Today we address more of those suggestions plus how to deal with reading harsh crits and other not so fun things. (And some fun things, too.) 7. READING CRITS When you read a critique of your story, read […]
Whether you join a critique group or not, you need to know some basics about good storytelling that your 8th grade English teacher didn’t tell you. These will be helpful to you even if you’re not in a group, but they’re written as though you just joined my critique group and I’m about to read […]
DAN ALATORRE