by Zoe M. McCarthy | Feb 25, 2016 | Writing
“If I come across anything in my work that smacks of ‘good writing,’ I immediately strike it out.” —Elmore Leonard Who Said ItMost writers have heard British journalist, critic, and novelist Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s saying, “Murder your darlings.” Quiller-Couch...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Feb 18, 2016 | Writing
“Flip Dictionary takes you from a “meaning” you are aware of to the “word” you need.” —Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph.D. In a scene, my character senses a reverent atmosphere, but I didn’t want to use atmosphere. I couldn’t summon the word I wanted. Microsoft Word’s...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Feb 11, 2016 | Writing
“I look for ways to purposely write myself into corners and then use them to my advantage.” —Steven James (Writer’s Digest July/August 2015) While writing a scene, I realized it was turning into a cliché for a Christmas story. Snow falls and the couple builds a...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Feb 4, 2016 | Writing
“Characters reveal themselves more vividly in what they do and say than in what they think and feel.” —David Corbett Note the above quote from “Characters, Scene by Scene,” by David Corbett in the January 2015 Writer’s Digest issue. Corbett explains that actions show...