One of my standard phrases pertaining to writing that I’ve absorbed into my philosophy is, “I write my strengths and edit my weaknesses.” It’s a luxury of a non-live, correctable activity that if something is sub-par or simply doesn’t work, it can be fixed later. No basketball player can undo a three-point airball and move … Continue reading How to Edit Your Weaknesses
Tag: Mystery
Infallible Characters
Except in the eyes of some religious devotees and in the mirrors of narcissists, no one on earth is infallible. Everyone makes mistakes. I used spell check on narcissists ten seconds ago. What allows you to progress as a person is the ability to recognize why those mistakes arose from your own failings and work … Continue reading Infallible Characters
Falling Action: Avoid the Slump
You can’t race up a hill forever, eventually you’ll run out of breath. For this reason story structure demands a dynamic switch between moments of greater emphasis known as rising action and those of lesser emphasis known as falling action. For shorter stories it’s possible to only have rising actions from the introduction to the … Continue reading Falling Action: Avoid the Slump
Hammer it Home: Repetition and Reinforcement in Stories
I was watching Aladdin with a stomach full of Thanksgiving goodness, light-hearted without the typical wall of criticism that accompanies a writer, and enjoyed the film immensely. If only I could flip that switch without copious saturated fats and the good drink, I’d be a happier human being. What struck me watching the film were … Continue reading Hammer it Home: Repetition and Reinforcement in Stories
Colin Klawans 