Friday Speak Out!: And We’re Off! On A Writing Sprint, That Is!

By Allison Chaney In the labyrinthine landscape of the blank page, where the cursor blinks with expectant impatience, writer’s block often emerges as the Minotaur, nostrils flared and ready to attack if we dare attempt to pass into the land of wordsmithing. Fear not, dear scribes: the Theseus to this literary conundrum is at hand, woven into the elegant simplicity of… timed writing sprints.Ah, the...

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3 comments Allison Chaney, blank page, Friday Speak Out!, timed writing, writer inspiration, writing sprints

The Forever Intangible Feedback: "It Needs Something More"

Lately, I've been reading through flash fiction entries for the WOW! Women on Writing contest. And it always gives me insights into my own writing as I read. 

One area I stumbled across was after reading a couple of stories. There were some minor flaws but the overall feeling I had about it was, "It needs something more."

Have you ever felt that about a story you were reading? Whether it's your own or someone else's? Maybe it reminds you too much of another one you read. Maybe the plot didn't grab your attention. Maybe the ending was weak.

Sometimes, though, it's intangible. There's nothing that makes you want to go back to it and read it again.

I've written my share of stories where I knew there was something missing in my work. How do you go back to something where you really don't know what's the problem?

In those cases, I discover there's a few issues in my stories:

• Weak Character Development: In a short story I had completely revised last year (that eventually got published!), I realized my character didn't have a strong motivation. And when you think of it, we all have one. Even if it doesn't directly impact our day-to-day, it's there. It's a motivator even if it's unrelated to the immediate problem. If you aren't sure of what gets your character up in the morning or what keeps them striving forward, that's something to think about during your revision process.
• Weak Plot: If there's no real tension or sense of overcoming or basically some kind of rising and falling action and climax in a story, that's a definite problem. Think back to what's motivating your character. That's often a starting point to figuring out what's at the core of the story.
• The Ending is...Eh: I feel like the ending of the story is the hardest to write and revise. Usually in the revision process, I've become exhausted with rewriting all the stuff beforehand that I rush through revising the ending. But, it's worth looking at. Aside from asking people to critique your work, consider giving yourself some distance. Go back to it after some time has passed. If you read your ending and think to yourself, "Gee, that's it?" Consider going back.

Nicole Pyles is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Her short stories have appeared in Sky Island Journal, Arlington Literary Journal, The Ocotillo Review, and The Gold Man Review. Follow her blog at World of My Imagination or her substack, Three Things on a Saturday Night.

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Interview with Casey Liston, First Place Winner in the Spring 2023 WOW! Flash Fiction Contest

Casey Liston is a writer of personal essays and flash fiction. She is inspired by the weird, the campy, and the queer. She is a writer in both her personal and professional lives. Casey recently received an honorable mention in WOW! Women on Writing’s creative nonfiction contest. She is currently embarking on writing her first novel. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts with her wife and two adorable...

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Leave a Comment Casey Liston, Contestant interview, first place winner, flash fiction, Marcia Peterson, Spring 2023 Flash Fiction Contest, writer inspiration

When Mama Grows with Me by Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler: Blog Tour & Giveaway

 I'm so excited to have author Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler back with us again for another blog tour. Her last tour with us was for her amazing book Whispering Through Water. And I'm so happy to have her touring her newest book When Mama Grows With Me. It's perfect for families who want to foster a love for nature and exercise and kids who love bugs and dirt! Celebrate with us as we interview...

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5 comments blog tour, book giveaway, Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler, When Mama Grows With Me

Interview with Peggy Rosen: Q3 2023 Creative Nonfiction Contest Runner Up

Peggy’s Bio: Peggy Rosen writes both fiction and nonfiction. She is a contributor to regional magazines and local newspapers. She is proud to have an essay included in Onward: True Life Stories of Challenges, Choices, and Change, a collection of personal essays published by The Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. Peggy leads life story workshops, encouraging others to write their stories....

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Leave a Comment Anne Greenawalt, contest runner up, Peggy Rosen, Q3 2023 CNF Essay Contest

Friday Speak Out!: EMPATHY, THE SECRET TO IT ALL

By Laura YeagerWhy is it that writers think that stories/articles/novels/blog posts/poems/plays must “come out” of one’s psyche chronologically? This is a conceit of mostly beginning writers. From my experience of over 40 years as a writer, this just isn’t the case. You don’t have to sit down and write something from beginning to end.Recently, I wrote an article for The Writer, but I wrote it...

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2 comments empathy, Friday Speak Out!, Laura Yeager, writing process

Strange Magic

Sometimes, we need a reminder about why we do this writing thing we do.My daughter, who is a grown woman and working a lovely though demanding job by day, chooses to “follow her bliss” in her hours off. Which just happens to be musical theater. And right now, she’s performing in Xanadu. For those of you of a certain age, you’ll remember the 80s and Olivia Newton John and all the music from ELO...

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3 comments Cathy C. Hall, Electric Light Orchestra, writing joy, Xanadu

Get Your Book Seen & Sold by Claudine Wolk & Julie Murkette: Blog Tour & Giveaway

 I'm excited to share the launch of a blog tour with authors, Claudine Wolk and Julie Murkette. They share their expertise regarding publishing and marketing your book in Get Your Book Seen and Sold. It's a must-read for writers who have either published a book or hope to one day. It's an informative read wherever you are on your writing journey!Join us as we celebrate the launch of their book!...

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5 comments author blog tour, book giveaway, book marketing, Claudine Wolk, Get your book seen and sold, Julie Murkette

Interview with Julie Lockhart, Runner-Up in the Q3 2023 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Julie Lockhart loves an adventure in wild places. She spent most of her career in academics, where she published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Critical Issues in Environmental Taxation and Advances in Accounting Education. During the last years of her career, she led a grief support nonprofit, where she discovered the beauty and depth of personal stories, writing about her experiences to help...

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Ask the Book Doctor: Making Money Writing

By Bobbie ChristmasQ: How do we support ourselves while we’re writing our books?A: If you’re writing nonfiction, you can write a proposal and several sample chapters instead of the whole book. If the information is current, compelling, and well written, and if the proposal follows the guidelines about how to write a book proposal, you may succeed in selling the book and get an advance against future...

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Leave a Comment Ask the book doctor, Bobbie Christmas, freelance writing, freelance writing for magazines

The Bigger the Stakes, The Bigger the Fall

I was catching up on my blog reading the other day when I read an insightful post by Nathan Bransford on story stakes – The More the Character Puts in a Bucket, the More There Is to Spill. Admittedly, my first thought when I read the title was “no kidding.” But I’m accustomed to finding treasures among Bransford’s posts so I read on. And, yes, I discovered another insight. Too often, our characters...

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2 comments creating high stakes, reader empathy, story stakes, Sue Bradford Edwards

Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell: Blog Tour & Giveaway

 Just in time for the holiday season, author Raven Howell joins us again for another fun blog tour. Her book Santa's Slip Up is perfect for a young reader interested in a bit of spookiness, mystery, and humor. Continue reading to find out more about the author and her book. Plus, you'll have a chance to win a copy for yourself.First, here's a bit more about the book:It’s the night of Halloween....

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11 comments blog tour, children's book, interview, Nicole Pyles, Raven Howell, Santa's Slip Up