The new year isn’t new anymore. 2024 has had some haps. Here’s a few things going on, writing-wise. Murder, Neat A few years ago, the Sleuthsayers blog collective set out on a plan. An anthology plan. The Sleuthsayers ranks includes a few dozen terrific writers all with a love for short crime fiction. A group…… Continue reading 2024 So Far:
Tag: Writing
2023, A Funny Sort of Year
We all beat our drums about what’s important to us. Humor is important to me, in life and in writing. Not surprisingly then, a drum I beat when talking writing is the serious business of humor. To write with humor’s lens is to load more rocks into the burden sack, whether that’s a conscious choice…… Continue reading 2023, A Funny Sort of Year
Bringing the Romance Back
Back in June, a friend did me one heck of a solid. It happened the way such profound things do: by accident. This was at our Sisters in Crime chapter meeting, and the speaker said the first thing about storytelling that surprised me in a while: That great stories needed romance. That speaker was Clay…… Continue reading Bringing the Romance Back
Didion’s Ghost and 7 Other Tests Before Submitting a Story
Every manuscript tells two stories. One, how strong the writing is. Two, how professional the writer is. Not sure about the pro part? The story isn’t ready. If your piece isn’t even in manuscript format, or there’s your personal format but not what the market specifies, the story is very definitely not ready.…… Continue reading Didion’s Ghost and 7 Other Tests Before Submitting a Story