On Christmas Eve, Iceland celebrates the national tradition of Jólabókaflóð, the “Christmas Book Flood. That evening, Icelanders anticipate and enjoy exchanging books. After they open and admire their books, family members retire to their individual beds and read themselves to sleep. This literary tradition traces back to World War II, when the government restricted currency and imported gifts. In contrast, Icelanders enjoyed a flux of money because of the war. Fortunately, restrictions on imported paper remained lenient and books burgeoned as the country’s most popular gift for Christmas. Fast forward to today and the holiday-reading tradition virtually supports the book-publishing industry. According…
Category: Writing craft
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Tip From the Pros – Nancy Mehl
Welcome from C. Kevin Thompson! The more I write, the more I become appreciative of those who have gone before me and “blazed a trail,” if you will. It’s no small feat to write multiple books, especially when it was done before the advent of the modern self-publishing phenomenon. I know of many people who tell me they’ve started a book. It’s the finishing that’s the hard part. That’s why writers like our guest keep me writing. They’ve shown that good, old-fashioned hard work, perseverance through times both good and not-so-much, and a persistent pursuit to hone their craft pay off…
Short and Sweet: The Romantic Novella – Part I
Happy December Friday from Gail Gaymer Martin. Today I’ll talk about writing a novella. I have a lot of experience with these short novels when I wrote for Barbour and even Love Inspired has the Duet books which is two short novels under one cover. They are interesting to write since they are a challenge to create a great story in only half the pages of a regular novel. In Part I will cover Major Differences Between a Novel and Novel and Connection between the Hero and Heroine. Part II will cover Subplots in a Novella, Setting’s Purpose in a Novella, and Time Span…
Editing Tips #49
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the manuscripts I edit.
The Call That Changed Me
Hi everyone, it’s Judith Couchman, recovering from a snowstorm in Colorado! If ever I felt stupid initiating a phone call, this was it. As I listened to my cell phone ringing into cyberspace, each pulse mocked me with a repeated warning: You can’t do this. You can’t do this. You can’t do this. I readily agreed with each ring’s caution: it mimicked the fear pounding in my chest. But before I could hang up, Erica answered.
Characters and Their Mannerisms
Good morning on this Friday in autumn. Welcome to the CAN blog on writing from Gail Gaymer Martin Today I want to talk about another element of creating characterization through using character mannerisms. When you think about people you know, notice what they do with their bodies, hands and facial expressions as well as their stance, stride and actions. Mixed in with the natural way we move and act, we can always see a few personal mannerisms. These are often related to their person’s attitude or emotional response. Here’s some things to think about. Characters and Their Mannerisms A man cracks…
Editing Tips #48
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit.
M is for Manger
Hello from children’s author Crystal Bowman! I love the challenge of writing for children, and I love teaching other writers the craft of writing for children. In previous blogs I’ve talked about the many different genres of children’s literature as well as sharing tips on writing for children. Today I want to give you an inside look into how I got my most recent book published.
Characterization: Apparel
Happy Friday, and welcome to the CAN Blog on Writing Fiction from Gail Gaymer Martin. When writing a novel, authors can deepen characterization by adding elements to the novel that sends a signal to readers. These signals allow them to see deeper characterization by observing what a character chooses wear in a given situation. Not only can personality be seen, but often deeper character such as morals or values. Dressing Characters If your heroine comes through the door wearing baggy jeans, a large bulky sweatshirt, and a baseball cap set on her head backwards, what would a reader think? A…
Editing Tips #47
Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the most common mistakes I see in the manuscripts I edit.
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