Tag: writing
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Supporting casts matter – on the page, on screen, and in life
This week’s cast of characters started as “extras” on the page – several of them unexpected – but they each played an important role in making my stories more than a standard whodunitandhow. They give the murders a context, and a humanity, that is oft times lacking in the genre. Ah, the ex who won’t…
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An Oscar-worthy line-up, if I do say so myself
Have you ever tried casting your novel for the big screen? Which stars do you visualize for your characters? The first time I heard of that exercise, I was stumped. First, I’m not a movie buff, and I watch very little current TV…Great British Baking Show aside! But the challenge does force me to think…
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My personal cognitive dissonance? Pessimistic idealism
I’m guessing that buried somewhere in my genome is the heart of a sunny optimist, someone who always looks for the best in any situation and truly believes tomorrow will be better. Unfortunately (or not), life beat that predilection out of me pretty quickly. No, this isn’t a “poor me!” recitation; I don’t play the…
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If only the writing life came with a decoder ring…
Are you a plotter or a pantser? Which POV do you prefer? Do you use more than one POV character? You don’t head-hop, do you? If you’re writing a series, does your character arc span each book or the entire timeline? What about prologues? Do you like chapter cliffhangers? Do you use crit partners? How…
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Not quite as ferocious as Zuul perhaps, but still…those gatekeepers!
Gatekeepers are – by definition, I suppose – intimidating individuals. How else could they keep out the riff-raff? In the writing world, those obstacles take on the form of agents, editors, and publishers…all with the goal of assuring quality publications for the literary world. At least that’s what we hope. But if you’re a writer…
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Eight of Cups
Eight of Cups: moving on realizing the current cycle is over abandoning a hopeless situation disentangling yourself starting on a trip of unknown length letting go finishing up and walking away Almost one year ago (February 5, 2018, to be exact), I began blogging about the “Parallel Journey” I found myself on and musing on the…
CL Pauwels at Large 