Spoilers ahead! You have been warned. I was beyond excited for Avengers: Infinity War, and it is amazing. Part of what makes Infinity War so good is its villain, Thanos. This entire movie is built around Thanos. The ending even says “Thanos will return” which is chilling and unsettling to viewers. So, let’s talk about…
Who Said That? – On (Not) Using Dialogue Tags
Have you ever seen a post on Tumblr or Pinterest that says something like “75 words to use instead of ‘said?'” Those posts can be helpful because the general premise is correct. Using “said” over and over is both boring and repetitive. It looks strange on paper. Also, some posts, like this one, can have some really helpful words that indicate emotion like “bellowed.” However, as writers, we should not be afraid of using standard words like “said,” “asked,” and “replied.” There is a reason why those words are the standard. They’re simple, and you can avoid clumsy verbs. You don’t want your work to read like a thesaurus. So, how do we avoid using “said” too much without using awkward words?
Book Review: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
I recently finished Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. The novel was originally published in 2005, and it is his debut. To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I had to take a few days to try and process my thoughts. I’m still not quite sure.
10 Creative Writing Prompts to Get Your Group Started
This article is part five of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here. Topics will include giving constructive criticism, running a workshop, and writing games/prompts. Writing prompts are both fun and a great club icebreaker. There are several types of writing prompts. My favorites are story prompts and first-line prompts….
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Four Creative Writing Games to Get Your Group Started
This article is part four of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here. Topics will include giving constructive criticism, running a workshop, and writing games/prompts. I found that the best way to start a group meeting is a fun game.
How to Run a Workshop
This article is part three of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club.
How to Give Constructive Criticism on Writing
This article is part two of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here. Topics will include giving constructive criticism, running a workshop, and writing games/prompts. For feedback to be helpful, the writer must be open to criticism, and the criticism must be focused and kind. Here are some tips…
How to Start a Creative Writing Group
There are many advantages to belonging to a writing group. You can get feedback from several people at once and give yourself writing deadlines. It’s a way to steadily improve your writing through criticism and practice. It’s also just a great way to get together with friends and have fun writing.
What Academics Can Learn from Business Writing
When I first start working with students, they talk about how difficult it is to make the switch from academic to business writing. And that’s true. It is difficult. It feels like the opposite of what we’ve spent years learning. So, I’m here to say that business writing and academic writing don’t need to be antithetical. In fact, my writing has improved since I began applying business methods to both my academic and creative work.