Wordslaying: How to Omit Unnecessary Words
Friends are generally surprised when I tell them I used to be a bird hunter. Using a .410 (small gauge) shotgun, I’d often limit out on doves before grown men…
Show Don’t Tell Holds for Dialog as Well
Good dialog illuminates character, advances the plot, and holds readers' interest. Dialog and narration will accomplish those missions better through telling, not showing. I read a novel recently that reminded…
Context and Perspective Matter
Earlier this week I went to lunch with fifteen other writers, thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of Ethel Lee-Miller. It was great fun. Someone brought up the topic of…
Lethal, Fatal or Deadly?
As 2014 is preparing to pass from existence, I thought about the various synonyms for deadly and the gradations between them. Are lethal and fatal the same? What about mortal?…
