As the fiction editor for Eclectica Magazine, it’s been both a privilege and pleasure to read story submissions. Finding the handful of pieces that take my breath away is what it’s all about. The good ones shine through, those that are brilliant positively sparkle. That said, it’s too bad that so many stories that come my…
Tag: fiction
Write Fright
Write fright, or fear of the blank page, is hard to overcome. The white page on the computer screen seems naked, and my attempts at sentence fragments, much less paragraphs, offer it as much cover as a fig leaf. Maybe I should use a larger font. Try double spacing. More experienced writers offer abundant counsel…
Characterization and the Car Crash
By Ken Elkes of http://kenelkes.wordpress.com Some musings on writing. Let’s start with three examples: 1. I was in a road traffic accident the other day. I didn’t suffer any injuries, though my car may not be repairable. Unfortunately it was my birthday. 2. I had an interesting birthday. Got into a car crash on the motorway. Not a scratch on me…
Writing Your Own Writing Prompts
By Jennifer Dunn of http://coffeeandacloseddoor.blogspot.com Yesterday I wrote about why I’ve decided to make my own writing prompts, and I described how I planned to do this. You can find out all about it right here.For a few days prior to posting yesterday, I’d been trying out my method with pretty decent success, but I wasn’t…
“If it Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite it”
Carol Cassara of http://carolcassara.com “Worship of Writers”: a phrase on wrapping paper I saw while in London, and one I think is what authors finally are, collectively. I wasn’t sure how I would use the photo I took of this wrapping paper: Wrapping paper I saw in London Then I ran across some of the very best writing tips ever.…
Filmic Flash Fiction
Radojkovich’s approach to flash fiction is unique. These two YouTube videos are part of a series of filmic flash readings: “The stories unfold like tiny silent movies,” explains Radojkovich. “The core value is the story, so I’ve kept the visuals simple and used three constraints to give the collection a unifying tone–they’re all filmed in…
Loosening the Screws on Too-Tight Writing
Whilst editing more of the never-ending manuscript last night, I became aware that some of my writing was tight. As tight as a publisher’s wallet in fact. I can clearly discern which sections I wrote during free-wheeling, word-flowing time off when I spent a couple of hours jotting down stream-of-consciousness, vaguely-related meanderings, which eventually morphed…
The Creative Process: Thumbnail Sketches and Napkin Notes
By Amy Duncan A few weeks ago, I posed these questions on Facebook: Here are a few questions for my creative friends (writers, musicians, composers, artists, photographers, etc.): What is your creative process? How do you approach your work, day by day? What are your work habits? Your frustrations (if any!)? Feel free to be…
Writing: How to Get Story Ideas...
By J.R. Frontera of http://jrfrontera.wordpress.com …otherwise known as: How To Tap Into the Elusive “Everywhere.” If you are like most yet-to-be-published writers, you attempt to learn all you can from the successful career authors any chance you get. This often includes reading magazine articles, interviews, and online articles about them, and sometimes even traveling to…
Writing: Killing Your Darlings
By Jon Simmonds Contributing Features Editor, of http://jumpingfromcliffs.com It seems barely a day goes past without someone somewhere posting about the “rules” of writing. Now, I’m not entirely sure that I agree with this; I feel there are far too many so-called rules imposed upon one of the most creative pursuits imaginable. Creativity doesn’t follow rules…
Writing: Peel Back Your Protagonist's Mask
You think you know your main character so well. You know where she came from, where he went to school, the name of her chosen dagger, and why he never goes to bed before three in the morning. But if you think you know everything there is to know about your character, think again. To…
