Tag: writing

• Do you know your way around English? If not, you should write.

  I’m not the brightest English bulb in the library. There are plenty of others who can list off a litany of long laborious sounding English terms which students of English and literature around the globe study on a yearly basis. chiasmus – euphony – spoonerism – ekphrastic I suppose there’s some merit in understanding them…

  sassevn

  May 12, 2015

  Writing Process

  literary terminology, literary terms, reasons to write, writing

• Indie Authors: How do you define success?

  What does success mean for independent authors? Robust sales? (this, of course, needs defined) An eventual publishing contract? A certain number of reviews on Amazon? One great letter from a reader who enjoyed your book? More sales this year than last? A blog that has an increasing reach? I’m starting to think that success for…

  sassevn

  April 26, 2015

  Indie Author

  defining indie success, indie author, success, what is success for indie authors, writing

• Are second halves of novels better?

  As I finish up my due diligence with my fourth and soon (with 3 months) to be released novel, I came across a strange realization: the writing in the second half of my novel is better. I’m doing a final, thorough read-through and I noticed a strange difference in attitude between my perception of each…

  sassevn

  April 17, 2015

  Indie Author, Writing Process

  fiction, first half of a novel, indie authors, novel writing, writing, writing a novel’s ending, writing process

• A Partial Poem at Midnight

  I rarely write poetry anymore. It’s been a long time. I write a lot of lyrics, but for some reason I have completely stopped writing poetry. Which makes this post all the more strange because here’s a poem I wrote last night during the last fifteen minutes before midnight. Your interpretation is as good as…

  sassevn

  March 29, 2015

  Poetry, Writing Excerpt

  poetry, world view, writing, writing on a whim

• An Approach to Drama Writing Part III: Use your image to create your characters …

  Part III in my short series about writing drama – but much is applicable to any type of writing. Part I: Be Fearless! HERE! Part II: Writing Starts in the Mind HERE! Part III: Use Your image or scene to create your characters or vice versa In part two I talked about using a phrase or an…

  sassevn

  March 17, 2015

  Writing Process

  approaches to drama writing, brainstorming writing, creating characters, drama writing, writing

• An Approach to Drama Writing Part II: It all starts in your mind.

  Part II on my short workshop on writing drama (applicable to other genres as well. Part I was on Being Fearless. You can read it HERE! Writing is accomplished in your mind. It’s edited on paper. (or electronic paper) One of the great myths of writing is that it is accomplished when you actually start putting…

  sassevn

  March 14, 2015

  Writing Process

  brainstorming, generating ideas, steps to effective writing, writing, writing drama

• A Writer’s Worst Nightmare: Bieber on Repeat

  Imagine the shock to my writer’s immune system when I arrived at my normal outdoor, luscious, tropical resort, writing area to hear the words “Baby, Baby” being blasted loudly like I’m at a raucous block party. There’s no vaccine for that, is there? A couple heard “babys” is surely enough to send a writer’s creativity…

  sassevn

  March 9, 2015

  Indie Author

  commercialism in writing, Justin Bieber and bad writing, worst lyrics ever, writing, writing irritations, writing obstacles

• Is this an opinionated question? (An example from Truman & the A-bomb)

  As a teacher, sometimes I’m asked this question about the questions I ask my students: “Is this an opinionated question?” “Yes it is,” I reply. “So you can’t mark it off, right? It’s just an opinion.” “Oh no, you can most definitely get it wrong.” “But how can an opinion be wrong?” “Perhaps an opinion…

  sassevn

  February 27, 2015

  History & Culture, Teaching & Education

  hiroshima, nagasaki, opinion questions, reasons for dropping A-bomb, teaching, truman and A-bomb, was truman justified in dropping the bomb, writing

• After Hours and Hours: Still No Idea What I Have

  One of the projects I’ve been working on lately (and for a while) is 10-minute concept musical about the end of the world. I started it last year with some basic brainstorm writing and a chorus melody that I liked which has become kind of the focused anthem for the piece. Recently, probably about two…

  sassevn

  February 23, 2015

  10-minute play, Indie Author

  approaches to writing, evaluating writing, musical, short musical, writing

• Another Lesson for Indies: “Restaurant, you have one chance to impress me.”

  A new restaurant opened up in my neighborhood quite a few months ago. From the outside it is attractive, a cafe-throwback, a large outdoor blackboard with a hand-written “Open” sign, a large stack of firewood neatly arranged into the exterior of the restaurant, and attractive indoor and outdoor seating. Even the signboard was well designed…

  sassevn

  February 22, 2015

  Indie Author

  building a customer base, building a readership, marketing, promotion, restaurants and writing, trying out new restaurant, writing