by Zoe M. McCarthy | Dec 17, 2015 | Writing
“The middle of our story should be the ‘meat’ of the story, as far as conflicts and arcs. Without setting up the obstacles here, any solution in the final act will seem too easy and won’t be as satisfying.” —Jamie GoldI pulled 5 books from my shelves. I paged to the...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | May 28, 2015 | Writing
“Life is a glorious banquet, a limitless and delicious buffet.” — Maya AngelouJohn and I created a straw bale garden. No dirt. No plowing. The straw bales become ovens to germinate and grow fruits and vegetables. The process mirrors what is needed to cook up a great...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Mar 26, 2015 | Writing
Don’t you like characters in novels to come across so real you look them up in an online directory? My guest today, Marian P. Merritt, gives pointers to do just that. After you’ve collected her tips, be sure to learn more about her new novel, The...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Oct 23, 2014 | Writing
“You can’t relate to a superhero, to a superman, but you can identify with a real man who in times of crisis draws forth some extraordinary quality from within himself and triumphs but only after a struggle.” — Timothy Dalton Recently, I read about people...
by Zoe M. McCarthy | Oct 3, 2013 | Writing
“There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons.” —Denis Waitley Do you need to go to a writers’ conference to learn to write? Yes. How else will you experience blunders that teach you about conflict; the hero’s greatest fears; obstacles, disasters, and ticking time...