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...
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...
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