by Zoe M. McCarthy | Jan 28, 2016 | Writing
“What your characters observe—or don’t—can be effective red herrings.” —Jane K. Cleland (Writer’s Digest February 2016)Definition of a red herring:In storytelling, a red herring is an author’s intentional misdirection of the reader or a character. The author...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Jan 21, 2016 | Speaking
“Your goal should not be to ‘deliver a presentation.’ It should be to inspire your audience, to move them, and to encourage them to dream bigger.” —Amy Carmine GalloIf I’m going to put my trembling body before an audience, I want to rivet the members with what I...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Jan 14, 2016 | Writing
“I needed a change of scenery in order to continue writing my third novel. A big move … from one side of the family room to the other.” —Amy Sue Nathan (Writers Digest July/August 2015)We writers pen our works from such places as a corner in the family room, a coffee...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Jan 7, 2016 | Writing
“A story without a theme is little more than a list of events.” —Grace JolliffeNever again, in a novel proposal, during a pitch, or at a social event, stare blankly when asked, “What is your story’s theme?”Get a handle on what theme is.Expert 1James Scott Bell gives...