Most writers are readers. Some are even painters.

I have a tattered quote taped inside one of my journals. It reads A house without books is like a room without windows. This coveted phrase, written by Horace Mann sometime in the mid-1800s, has been my reminder to read and write. Often.

For me, a house without books would be not having the opportunity to investigate our cultural past, nor fill slower moments with entertaining trivia, or keep dreams of future hopes or promises alive. It is ‘armchair living' at its best.  

Maybe you’ve felt a similar urge to break a spine or two while curled up in a comfy chair, hugging the covers of a book you couldn’t put down, wondering what happens next yet not wanting it to end. Did the author’s imagery illuminate multiple senses, elevate your awareness, or plunge your fear into the endless depths of some faraway canyon?

I’ve been there. Right there, walking alongside the protagonist, jumping back as...

In a story, readers don't want to know at the onset which characters’ relationships are doomed or who won’t survive a natural disaster. Their demise may be inevitable if we were further along in the tale, but the reader doesn’t know enough about the characters, in the beginning, to even care.

Leading with the punchline spoils the surprise. Think about it. A comedian wouldn’t share the end of a joke at the beginning of his set. If the audience knows the ending, why bother, right? And, likewise, writers shouldn’t reveal too much too soon either. 

It may be acceptable in our initial draft to get the words on paper, but the ending has no place at the beginning of a book, chapter, or even paragraph. The conclusion is best interwoven throughout the story and revealed like a path of crumbs for the reader to follow. Otherwise, we run the risk of our audience skipping right over our hard-earned words or, worse, not reading it at all.

It is far...

A few years ago, my dad shared a story from his younger years before he met mom. You see, his father passed away when he was only twelve, and an older brother had died during World War II. Along with his mother and other siblings, everyone had a responsibility to make ends meet. It was a tough time in their family, on the farm, and in our nation’s history. 

After high school graduation, dad worked at a TV/Appliance company. His boss must have seen something special in him because he was encouraged to talk to a military recruiter on his next delivery in town. A short time later, dad enlisted and spent twenty-two years in the military.

Dad's time in the service gave him the ability to leave when called upon, a powerful education beyond books, and an appreciation for history and Asian culture. He often said, “If it wasn’t for the Marine Corps, I don’t know where I’d be today.” Now I knew what he meant.

The question I asked my dad was...

After each of my weekly writing classes, both online and in-person, I send out a list of Tips & Pointers along with their next assignment. It turns out, my students love these T&P's.

I thought you would, too. Here's one that will help if you've ever wrestled with character development:

Know your characters from the inside out -- When first creating a character, most writers begin with the basics of height, weight, and hair color. This one-dimensional, flat cardboard outline is nothing but an exterior description. Ho-hum!

So how can you create a life-like character that your reader will either love or despise? Admire? Resent? You must first ask questions of him. In-depth questions. Your purpose is to get to know him -- really know him.

You've probably read plenty of character-development outlines, but have any taken you so deep into a character that there is no doubt what his reactions or responses will be? That's the moment you create a believable character -- whether...

Do you write by the seat of your pants without a plan? Or are you a plotter who sets out knowing the who, what, when, where, and why of their next creation? Either way, all writing begins with the first draft. And first drafts, shall we say, stink. Inevitably, they fall far short of our expectations.

Take this post, for instance. I chose the title first, wrote a few notes, and listed some key points. Then, I opened my MacBook and began, fingers flying across the keyboard in a rhythmic tapping, the distinct sound of progress.

An hour later, I came up for air and quickly diagnosed an article suffering from severe bloat and dislocated pieces. It was a typical first draft: crappy. We all write them. There’s no way around it. And that’s the bad news. 

Whether you’re working on your seventh novel or your first short story, getting through that initial rough draft can be challenging. Cutting those darling little words and smart phrases on a rewrite can be...

Has the dizzy monkey knocked on your door lately? You know the one, that annoying visitor that pops in unannounced and unwelcome. He’ll tease and taunt you, pushing all your buttons.

The dizzy monkey will question your story idea and maybe even the plot. Heck, if you let him in, he’ll have you delete dialog and change the setting. He’s a relentless distracter and sower of doubt.

Before you wad up and pitch that draft, filled with your best attempt at intrigue or mystery, consider this: The dizzy monkey has paid a visit to each of us at one time or another.

I know how you feel. He’s been at my door before, too. Want to know what I do? Read on.

No one is immune to the dizzy monkey. I doubt there’s a writer on the planet who has not endured his painful nagging at one time or another. Struggling to land the right words on paper is not an easy task. Sometimes the writing stars are aligned, and all is right with the world and our words....