Linda K Sienkiewicz

Writing life, line by line

Not the whole chicken: writing about sex

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Erotica or porn: “Erotica is using a feather; pornography is using the whole chicken.” — Isabel Allende Crime writer Margot Kinberg says, "I'm no prude, but I'd rather use my imagination. I give credit to authors who can let me know what's happening without going over all the details." Just as writers would not include every bite of every piece of food, every sip of wine, every napkin … [Read more...]

You are always a writer: motivation

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Are you unable to write? Don’t worry if you fear you've lost motivation. I don't know who said it, but "writing is like a disease. It may go into remission, but it never leaves you." This sounds like a negative analogy (because as author Lev Raphael says, "writing is a gift, not a disease") but it’s also true. Let me tell you my story. I stepped away from my writing for nearly two years … [Read more...]

Never a singer but I can dream

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Dreams: A few weeks ago I blogged about finding a blue notebook that I'd kept when I taught journaling at a women's shelter over twenty years ago. I wrote along with the women during writing prompts. I found this entry, titled "Dreams" Reality vs Dreams My first novel was published about fifteen years after I wrote this list. I now have a second novel manuscript, Love and Other … [Read more...]

Literary vs Genre Fiction

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Give it to me straight: A writer on Twitter/X asked: "What do you understand by the term 'literary fiction' in three words or fewer." Among the comments, I read: Ouch! That's a whole lotta negativity. Further complicating lit fic's apparent reputation as tireless trash, Wikipedia adds to the burn with this definition: "Literary fiction is often used as a synonym for literature, … [Read more...]

The importance of reader reviews

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The importance of reviews Reader reviews are more than something to feed the author's ego. Reviews mean EVERYTHING to the algorithm gods. Here is why: In a market where readers have so many choices, the importance of reader reviews cannot be overstated. Candid reviews written by readers like you have the power to transform browsers into buyers. Nervous about what to write? Don't … [Read more...]