By Ronda Simmons
I was called bookworm when I was a kid. It wasn’t a compliment.
On Reading
Who Are We Writing For?
An audience is the target of your communication. Written communication is an odd duck because the transmission is not immediate. When you speak to someone in person, the communication is rooted at that particular moment. The written word typically exists without a direct interface.
This is important because for a connection to be made, the author must imagine the audience.
Continue reading “Who Are We Writing For?”Word Count Woes
By Eleanor Shelton
As we all know, stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Nothing new there. But just how many words it takes to get there is highly regulated, especially for debut novelists. All novels should be at least 60,000 words. Otherwise, they’re novellas. Less than 20,000, and they’re short stories. And depending on what kind of story you write there are established boundaries that are not to be crossed.
Open The Window
By David E. Sharp
The New Year didn’t wait to blast our family into action. My youngest son wasn’t feeling well on January first. By the morning of the second, we were in the hospital for emergency surgery. I spent the following week at the hospital, sitting by his side, comforting him, and updating concerned friends and family of his condition.
With the pandemic at large, only his mother and I were allowed to come to visit. Everybody else had to settle with the occasional video chat and Facebook updates. Though, people found creative ways to support him.
The Weird And Wonderful Habits We Love
By Ronda Simmons
So, I’m in my office staring at a blank screen. I can’t figure out what’s wrong. My dog is sleeping at my feet, a hot cup of tea sits next to my keyboard, and the house is quiet.
Why can’t I write? I’m not hungry, or itchy, or tired. I am not expecting company and have nothing on my schedule. The dog doesn’t need or want my attention, thank you very much.
Continue reading “The Weird And Wonderful Habits We Love”Retreating
By Brian Kaufman
The year before last, I decided to try a writer’s retreat, hoping to inspire and accelerate my latest work-in-progress. My wife is a published poet, and the idea appealed to her as well. Many web packages were out of our price range, so I decided to put my own package together with an eye toward relatively untraveled paths.
Cornhole Versus Sasquatch
By Elenor Shelton
The other day, I wanted to tell my husband something vital. We were running low on eggs or that a new murder series had been added to Brit Box. You know, items that could make or break a relationship. After coming up empty, I found him watching television in our finished basement, some kind of show called ACL.
The only ACL I was familiar with was the ligament in my knee that I busted and had to get replaced a few years ago. I had NO idea that ACL also stood for the American Cornhole League or another competing association called the American Cornhole Organization.
Yet Another One: Keeping It Real
By JC Lynne
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. Of New Year’s resolutions. Of New Year’s articles. And yes, of course, 2020.
The Highs And Lows of Writing
By David E. Sharp
When I naively embarked on a quest to write and publish my first novel, I felt like I was climbing a mountain. Every step took me closer to the summit. Sometimes it seemed within reach. Other times I couldn’t see it, and I questioned whether it was really up there. But I persevered, and I braced myself for the view.
The Twelve Days of Rewrites
By Ronda Simmons
In our finest of holiday traditions, we bring to you our annual Yuletide carol. With hope for the new year, the inspiration for your writing, and a dash of motivation, we wish you health, wealth, and all of the words.
Thanks and Happy Holidays from the NCW Leadership team and The Writing Bug staff.
