Category: Writing Process

• Characterization: A thought from Sir Lawrence Olivier

  Lawrence Olivier said the following about acting: “If I play a beggar, I look for the king, and when I play a king, I find the beggar.” This is wonderfully simple expression of how to approach an acting role that you’ve been awarded. In real life, there are no regal people or destitute people. There…

  sassevn

  February 24, 2014

  Uncategorized, Writing Process

  acting, character development, characterization, characters, creating a character, drama, drama and writing, sir Lawrence olivier, three-dimensional characters, writing

• A Momentary Lapse Into Sanity

  Every once in a while my writer’s mind will surface from the deep belly underworld of my Mariana Trench-like mind to breath the normal air of my surroundings. What is it that I find when this happens? Normal things, mostly. Like baseball, for instance. I’m not a writer when I’m a baseball fan. Everything turns…

  sassevn

  February 22, 2014

  Writing Process

  approaches to writing, brainstorming, creative writing, writer’s mind, writing, writing ideas

• Round Table Chat with Annamaria Bazzi

  I recently had a wonderfully fun Round Table Chat with Annamaria concerning a wide variety of topics – writing – characterization – my latest novel – and other tales of a more whimsical nature. Please head over to her site and check it out. It was very well done and exceedingly enjoyable for me. I’ll…

  sassevn

  February 18, 2014

  Indie Author, Promotion, Writing Process

  author interview, chat, interview, novel writing, The Recluse Storyteller, writing process

• The False Mystique of the Novel

  What is it that makes everyone’s eyes get big when someone says, “I’m writing a novel.” Try this. Tell someone that you are writing a story and see how they react. Now try it again, but this time insert the word ‘novel’ for story. Did you see how their eyebrows ascended? They were certainly impressed,…

  sassevn

  February 17, 2014

  Writing Process

  novel writing, story writing, writing process

• Are you ready to publish? I wasn’t. Now I thank Vietnam.

  As much as I lament not writing for twenty years, it has become obvious to me lately that I wouldn’t have been ready to publish anything anyways. That’s not to say I’m glad I didn’t write for 20 years. I’m not. I’m sure I’d be a better writer today if I had. (maybe – if…

  sassevn

  February 8, 2014

  Writing Process

  morality in writing, novel writing, vietnam inspiration, writing with a purpose

• Novel Three: The End Game

  It’s hard for me to believe that I’m finally at this point with my third novel. What point? The end game. Yes, that’s right, I’m using February to go over the manuscript one last time before I send it on to my editor for proofreading. Novel title: The Reach of the Banyan Tree Tentative Release Date: July…

  sassevn

  February 3, 2014

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  editing, new book release schedule, novel planning, novel writing, proofreading, The Reach of the Banyan Tree

• “If I can think of it, anyone can” and other false thinking.

  Did you ever ponder how one can be truly creative in today’s world? I mean, hasn’t everything already been thought of. Hasn’t every melody already been written? Hasn’t every plot line been explored? I used to think like this and such non-productive thoughts have significantly shortened my writing years. I remember when I used to…

  sassevn

  January 28, 2014

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  approaches to writing, creative writing, fiction writing, writer’s doubt, writer’s ego, writing, writing confidence, writing process

• Try Something New: I Write Songs

  When was the last time you tried to do something where you felt completely out of your element? When was the last time you tried something where you felt completely clueless about how to proceed or what to do? I feel that way all the time because I like to create songs, but I don’t…

  sassevn

  January 21, 2014

  10-minute play, Indie Author, Writing Process

  do hard things, garageband, lyric wriing, musical writing, process of writing, writing music

• Writing and the Human Condition

  There really is nothing new under the sun. I think Solomon was correct. Perhaps, writers know this more than most people. Each time they string together a sentence, they are stepping on the toes of someone who has come before them. Each time they craft a character, they are describing countless other people who at…

  sassevn

  January 13, 2014

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  character development, human drama, spine, story development, superobjective, writing and the human condition

• Writing – Like a Workman

  Sometimes it’s all inspiration. Sometimes it’s all perspiration. Writing experiences vary from day to day. One day the words flow poetically off the keys like I have discovered the key to writing the world’s next epics. The next day, the words drip like my leaky faucet. But here are a couple of takeaways that I’ve…

  sassevn

  January 7, 2014

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  approaches to writing, creative writing, novel writing, writing, writing process