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Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Occasionally, I hear writers say that they don’t read books in their genre for fear that they will be influenced. Horse feathers! Dancers mimic the instructor until they get the moves right. I learned to ride a horse by watching and listening to my trainer. I learned penmanship by copying letters from the model and, believe…
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Got Writing Tic Fever?
A tic is not a tick, not a tock. It is “a habitual, spasmodic muscle contraction, usually of the face or extremities.” However, in writing, a tic is an unconscious construction or usage that shows itself only to others, not the writer. Tics might include: habitual repetition of one word, (It happened to me with the word…
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The Courage of Writers
This week I sat in a local diner with other writers who impressed me by their willingness to approach tough stuff. One had the courage to describe his mother in more or less balanced terms without the sentimentality or vitriol that inherently sneaks into this mother of all topics. Another wrote about her insecurity and…
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Poetry & Public Courtesy
As you may recall I cohost a monthly open-mic poetry reading and here are a few tips to make yourself welcome if you attend such an event; some of this advice applies to both readers and audience, most have to do with respect for the entire concatenation. Arrive a little ahead of the start time and sign in…
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Break Time, Brake Time
Karen Douglass, Author 