For Writers

ARTICLES
My blog sometimes focuses on the process of creative writing. Besides writing and publishing novels and short stories, I teach creative writing at the college level. The following are links to articles about the writing process. 

ON CRAFT

"POETIC SENSE: Sound and Imagery" - Poetic devices to add lyricism to your prose.

"STRUCTURE: The Framework for Your Words" - While structure may not seem sexy, it's what brings the sex.

"Using Specifics: Dancing with Your Heartbeat" - How to inject life into your prose.

"The Substance of Style" - Of all the so-called "rules" for writing, consider how style fits in.

"Pay Attention" - On the challenges of staying focused.

"Torture Your Characters" - In fiction, conflict is the key.


ON WRITING AND PUBLISHING

"2016's Challenges for the Average Author - 10 Points to Consider" - On platforms and agents and Bookscan and more.

"What I've Learned on My Fifth Novel" - What comes from the long haul.

"LITERARY FICTION - What Is It Really?" Is this a genre to write in?

"The Planet-Moon of Being a Writer" - If you're new to publishing or thinking of writing for a living, here are some thoughts for you. 

"Writers, Where Are You Centered?" - What drives you as a writer?

"In the Zone for Writing" - How to get there.

"Seeking and Receiving Feedback on Your Writing" - To be a writer is to be vulnerable, and feedback is a challenge for most writers. Do it smartly. 

"What J.K. Rowling Teaches My Writing Students (and Me)" - Readers would stand in line for a day to be the first to get the next Harry Potter book. Wouldn't you like the same?

"The Athleticism of Writing" - How mind, spirit, AND body are all so important.

"For Writers Who Become Parents" - Parenthood can change your free-time for writing. Here are some tips if you want to keep writing. 

"Keep Trying" - So much about one's dreams focuses on being patient and persistent. So is trying new things. 

"How I Did It" - Kirkus Reviews asked Christopher Meeks to write about his success. (It's Meeks, not Malcolm Gladwell.)

VIDEOS

"3 Surefire Tips to Be a Great Writer" - A short piece with tongue in cheek. 

"Writing Life--The Habit of Writing" - a video I once made for my class.