During a number of interviews, I’ve been asked how I came up with the title of The Clock Strikes Midnight. As I work on my new book, I wonder about this question. Actually I wonder about the bigger question. How do authors come up with their titles #writingtips #titles Click To Tweet I can share […]
Why This Writer Likes Snow Days
Recently the East coast has been plummeted with snow and ice. Living in Georgia, I have not escaped the ravages of winter. Although we don’t get the snow that our Northern friends experience, we get lots of ice and with ice trees come tumbling down. Last week most of our community lost power for at […]
November is National Novel Writing Month–Tips to Meet the Challenge
As we enter the month of November (good grief, already 10 days gone), I know most of you are thinking about what to serve for Thanksgiving dinner or what to buy for Aunt Mary on Black Monday. Right? Me, I’m thinking about writing novels. I just learned that this month is National Novel Writing Month […]
Where do Your Fictional Characters Come From?
When reading fiction, I often wonder where do the characters come from Click To Tweet Where, for example, did Mr. Ripley of The Talented Mr. Ripley come from? Patricia Highsmith, the very talented suspense writer , developed a fascinating character in Mr. Ripley. He’s charming, but he kills people Click To Tweet He not only […]
Where Do Your Creative Ideas Come From?
As I was swimming laps this morning, I was struck with the thought: Where do creative ideas come from? Not simply themes for a book but various creative plot points. For me a lot of those ideas do not come when I’m poised in front of my computer screen. Here are some of my experiences […]
Can You Guess it?
An important component for any fiction writer is the ability to tap into his or her creativity. I ran across an interesting item in my kitchen. See the photos below. Imagine you’re a young woman who received this item as a wedding gift. How might you respond in a thank you note: Dear. . […]
Creativity in Fiction and Nonfiction
As both a fiction and a nonfiction writer, I’ve given the two kinds of writing much thought. For some writers who create memoirs there is a murky line between writing fiction and nonfiction. For me, the writer of mysteries (pure fiction) and business books (pure nonfiction), the line is clearer. Indeed, as a nonfiction writer, […]
Creativity Snobs
Recently I spent the weekend with a friend who is a very talented artist. We were talking about ways she could get her work out there in galleries. She told me that the art organizations in her community are very “closed.” In other words, she said, “When I tell them I majored in physics and […]
How Do You Develop Your Characters?
Recently an interviewer asked me the question, “What’s your process in developing your characters?” Here’s my answer: When I start a story, I have a protagonist in mind. That person becomes my main character. I have a vague idea of who some supporting characters might be, but many pop up as the story progresses. As an […]
A Writer’s Dream
Last night I dreamed I was tucked away in the hills of Tuscany, far from Internet connections and traffic sounds. I looked out the window from the small tiled-roofed house where I sat amongst soft chairs and an ancient typewriter. Outside, I breathed in the smells of honeysuckle and lilac. Beautiful Bouganvilla draped over the […]
