Category character in writing
As Common as a Tramp Stamp in a Trailer Park
Working in and around prisons for years tends to change your outlook on things – and people. And, usually for good reason. Couple that little tidbit of learned behavior with the sick and twisted brain wave patterns of a mystery writer and all bets are off. Any snippet of a conversation overheard in a coffee shop, […]
A Voice on Outline Driven Writing
Outlining versus Free Form writing is a hotly contested debate in author circles. I know, I know, the subject doesn’t carry the weight of discussing a solution to violence in Afghanistan, or searching for a missing jetliner in the middle of the Indian Ocean. But the fact that writers seem willing to spill blood over […]
The Stuff That Binds
You need something to bind your story together. No I’m not talking about adding more fiber to your literary diet. What I’m talking about is the thing that makes your story stand out in a field of similar work. There are a finite number of story lines and when you filter down to stories within […]
Location, Location, Location
Location, location, location – that’s what the old real estate sales slogan proclaims. The advice applies to more than selling your spinster aunt’s crumbling brownstone. Location in writing matters too. When you’re really into a book and the words paint a vibrant image of where the story is happening, the location becomes a character. The […]
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 