Pamela George: An Environmental Artist

Title image: Pamela George in her own illustration as a diver. Pamela George brings three firsts to our Five Questions series. First, she is a children’s book author. Second, she is her own illustrator. Third, she is an environmental artist. We are delighted that she is willing to share her experience… read more

Cover Art: My Most Perplexing Problem

Cover Art and Advertising The title image is a famous ad for French champagne by Publicis Conseil. When I looked it up I was surprised to see that it was from 1989. I would have thought it was much older, like from the 1930s or 40s. So I guess its… read more

Character Arc: How To Create One

For this blog on the character arc, I’ll rewrite the title quote. If you find a path with no obstacles, don’t put your character on it. We don’t want to read about someone whose path is strewn with rose petals. We do want to read about a person who has… read more

Creating a Scene … In a Good Way: Five Tips

Creating a scene. Funny how you can interpret the phrase two ways. Either you’re at a fancy restaurant in the midst of a humdinger of a quarrel with your partner. Or you’re a playwright, screen writer or novelist in front of your computer. If you’re in front of your computer,… read more

Novels and Movies and Plays, Oh My!

I chose the title image for this blog on novels from one of the most famous movies of all time. I modeled my title on the rhythm and exclamation of one of its most famous lines. We writers derive inspiration from all sorts of places, including the visual arts. It’s entirely normal… read more

New Year’s Resolutions 2019: A Writer’s List

New Year’s Resolutions, ugh. Lose weight. Join a  gym. Straighten out finances. These are worthy resolutions to be sure. But they’re not for me, because they feel punitive. I’d rather give myself goals that feel more like gifts. Trite but true, this time of year is perfect for recalibrating our… read more

Audiences: Who Are They? Where Are They?

Because this blog on audiences opens with a classical reference, I chose for the title image the Greek theater in the ancient city of Epidaurus. Credit: greekfestival.gr. Audiences: Ancient Wisdom Aristotle is famous for saying: Audiences are made not found (Rhetoric, 4th century B.C.). He means that, both in real life… read more