I would like to expound a little on the subject of my previous post; editing. Let me jump right in. One of the things that a writer might not consider is the ever true ‘clichéd’ rule: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” This is not to say that you […]
Author: Gear and Pen
“What is Your Story Worth to You?” or “Editing and Grammar”
Let me start this post by giving my readers a little bit of background on myself. I was raised by an English Major. As such, my reading, writing, and grammar quickly excelled beyond my grade level, despite dyslexia. It was never forced on me, beyond the normal childhood concept of preferring to go play rather […]
“Book Titles” Or “Has Anyone Told You, You Look Just Like …”
If you’ve read my blog post “What’s in a Name” you realize naming your characters can be a matter of some importance. Yet, with all that, there is a name you have to consider which makes the importance of character names pale in comparison. This name is for your book. I tell you this from […]
“I Dream of Dragons” or “My First Anthology”
Hello, my readers. Today, I think I’m going to discuss a little detour I have made in my writing experience. As I discussed in the post about “Mentors, Family, and Friends“, support in your writing journey is very important. My circle of fellow writers is not very broad. In fact, I personally know, outside of […]
“Knock, Knock Neo” or “Neo2 Review”
I would like to share with my readers about a beautiful writing tool. Now, understand that when I say ‘beautiful’ I am not talking about aesthetics. I suppose it could be considered sleek, but really, it is just a small screen and a keyboard with the minute amount of memory that is required by a […]
“What’s in a Name?” Or “Naming Your Characters.”
How much attention do you give to naming your characters? Let me put it this way. How much time or energy would you put into naming a child? Many people name their children after some member of the family, but which member, which child? For those who want something different, there are books upon books […]
“Top 5 Motivation Tips for Writing.” or “Keep those doggies rollin'”
Ok. Let’s just come out and say it. Writing is romanticized, no ifs, ands, or buts. It’s a fact. It isn’t all sunshine and roses, and most people won’t make enough off of their writing to be able to hide away in a cabin in the woods or an English country house, in order to […]
“It’s Not the How, It’s the Why” Or “What Motivates Your Characters?”
Please, do not underestimate the necessity for your characters to have some motivation. If they are not motivated, they won’t move. They will go about their lives as they have always done. In that case, you have no story. You might consider this concept pretty obvious, and in some cases, it is. However, there are […]
“Pickax to cut cloth.” or “Using your friends wisely.”
While outlining “The Holders…” I found better places for character introductions and discovered plot holes before they were written out. Because I got a big picture view and made sure I saw the forest instead of just one tree, I was able to talk some of these plot holes through. This was with someone who […]
You Are What You Eat: Food Additives
Have you ever actually read the labels on the prepared foods that are produced for the majority of the population to pick up and to throw in the microwave or to eat straight out of the package? If you have, you’ve probably been bombarded with a long list of almost as long words, the pronunciation […]