Writing 
For thoughts on writing and the creative process.
Visualizing Characters
Whether reading or writing about them, we all tend to conjure up an image of the characters in a story. What does he or she (or they) look like? We take cues from the text. Hair color, eye color, complexion, stature, and build all give us a sense of a character’s appearance. I’m sure we’ve… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 67
It’s summer! What better time for catching up on some reading and writing? Whether indoors or outdoors, it’s sometimes a challenge to think up what to write. Why not spend some time by the water, enjoy a drink or two, and delve into your latest story or chapter. Perhaps this image might motivate you. Consider… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 66
Begin the new year with a renewed commitment to writing! Reserve some time to write each day. Perhaps that’s what action will happen in the photo below? A small round table set for two sits in a corner of a darkened restaurant, bar, or lounge. Especially reserved, but for who? Surely it’s not for a… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 65
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) has arrived once again, and to get the creative juices flowing, it’s time for a writing challenge! Let the image below inspire you on your journey to write 50,000 words before Friday, November 30. A fighting sword from the late 17th century rests in place. Beyond what little is stated… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 64
The house on the hill, in the woods, set apart at the edge of town. What secrets (or horrors) are to be discovered within? It’s familiar trope, but one that’s endlessly fascinating. Our curiosities are piqued by who might live there and what stories they’ve lived. It is often a key setting/location in any story…. Read More ›
Writing Challenge 63
Does he steal in on a soft breeze from the window? Ducking into shadow, yet posing for a moment in the daylight, a figure in constant motion dancing on the wind’s breath. Such words could describe this bronze statue of Mercury, the Roman version of the Greek god of travelers and thieves, merchants and shepherds,… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 62
They will eat you alive! Dive in and discover a new story, scene, or chapter in your writing. Will your characters visit an aquarium or the Amazon? Is a villain threatening to feed your hero or heroine to the fishes? Or is an aquatic world discovered by travelers to a distant planet? Plot out your… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 61
“Into the woods you go again, you have to every now and then…” Just like the characters in Stephen Sondheim’s 1987 musical, Into the Woods, writers should journey into the proverbial woods “every now and then.” Such sojourns refresh the soul and feed the mind, inspiring writers’ imaginations and thoughts. Just consider Henry David Thoreau… Read More ›
Writing Challenge 60
Raw escargot! Creepy, crawly critters loom in our imaginations, sometimes fueling our fears and nightmares. Yet there is a fascination with such creatures, drawing our attention, piquing our curiosity to discover more about them. How can they co-exist with us but seem so alien? Imagine these gastropods as large land striders used as transportation in… Read More ›
National Novel Writing Month 2016
It’s that time of year again. The day that launches a 1,000 novels. NaNoWriMo has begun! November is National Novel Writing Month, and writers around the world are likely to be hunkering down to churn out 50,000 words in 30 days (from today, November 1, until 11:59:59pm on Wednesday, November 30). The rough breakdown is… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 