by Stephanie Morrill | Nov 2, 2022 | Dialogue, The Craft of Writing
Occasionally I see those word lists on Pinterest, Instagram, or even educational sites geared toward teachers or young writers: “Creative words to use instead of said.” On the list are words like exclaimed, retorted, jeered, and other jazzy words. I...
by Shannon Dittemore | Sep 14, 2022 | Elements of Fiction, Story Structure, The Craft of Writing, Writing, Writing Exercise
Happy Wednesday, writers! I’m a little bogged down out here in California. There’s a fire raging about a half hour from where we live, and we’ve got a house full of evacuees. They’re lovely, and I’m so glad we have space to share, but it...
by Shannon Dittemore | Aug 10, 2022 | Elements of Fiction, The Craft of Writing, Writing
We’re back! I know Steph celebrated our return with you last week, but it still feels bizarre that we’ve had two months away from you all. It went like a flash! This summer, the Dittemore family celebrated our son’s high school graduation with a trip...
by Shannon Dittemore | May 11, 2022 | Discovery Writing, First Drafts, Learning from Other Authors, Story Structure, The Craft of Writing, Writing
Friends! I was listening to the Stories are Soul Food podcast today, and when author ND Wilson shared how he structures the drafting of a novel, it really resonated with me. His process is similar enough to my own style, but with a couple features that I think would...
by Jill Williamson | Apr 20, 2022 | Author Life, Encouragement, Getting Feedback On Your Writing, Goals, Grow An Author, Learning from Other Authors, The Craft of Writing, Writing, Writing Life
If you have spent any time in the world of education, you might have heard the term: lifelong learner. This is the concept that as time goes on, some teachers lose their motivation and fall into a comfortable routine. They stop pushing themselves to grow in their...
by Stephanie Morrill | Mar 23, 2022 | Guest Posts, NaNoWriMo, The Craft of Writing, Writing
Stephanie here. I’m SO excited to be hosting Colin Cannici today! Colin has been a part of our community for a while now, and I loved reading his insights from writing a novel so quickly. I kept finding myself nodding as I read through it. Even if you’re...