Don't let a smile do all the lifting! One of the steps I take when editing a manuscript is search for particular words, such as smile. Every word matters especially when it comes to character's gestures and facial expressions. I want to avoid stale or easy gestures such as shrugs, eye rolls and angry glares. A smile alone shouldn’t be left to do all your heavy lifting. What exactly does that … [Read more...]
A (Mostly) Clean Challenge: Writing a Novel with Minimal Profanity
The question was: Could I do it? First of all, I didn't think profanity fit my forthcoming novel, Love and Other Incurable Ailments, and secondly, I like to give myself challenges as a way of stretching my abilities. When I shared this no-swear idea with my fellow writers, one said "My books are really sweary and the characters kill each other. Going F free is an achievement." Another … [Read more...]
The entertaining side of Chat GPT
Describe a look of surprise: I tried Chat GPT to help me rethink a cliché. I wanted to find a look of surprise that didn't involve raised eyebrows or an open mouth. Besides giving me a break from editing and making me laugh out loud, Chat GPT wasn't helpful at all. Well, except to remind me that I'm a good writer and I know a bad cliché when I read it. How it started: Me: Help me … [Read more...]
Yous got the last laugh: How my husband’s favorite pronoun was vindicated
Who are yous really? The first time I heard my husband refer to the people in our household collectively as "yous" I laughed out loud. I'd never heard the word. Donnie insisted it was a real word, and, furthermore, said he'd been using it all his life. Much to his own peril. Apparently, he also used yous at work. His coworkers thought it was hilarious. He didn't care. He kept using … [Read more...]
What, Why, How: author Kate Woodworth
What: Little Great Island tells the story of a small Maine island community needing to reinvent itself in the face of climate change. Told from the point of view of a handful of community members, the story focuses on Harry Richardson, a recent widower and a long-time summer visitor, who wants to sell his family home so he can escape painful memories. Island-born Mari McGavin, on the other … [Read more...]