Linda K Sienkiewicz

Writing life, line by line

Writing is no orderly process

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  My novel doesn't start at the beginning. Is this an inside writing joke? What I mean is the narrative in my story isn't ordered chronologically. It wasn't always that way, but when it was in chronological order, the opening chapters of In the Context of Love read like a YA novel. It is definitely not YA. Something had to change. Shuffling the … [Read more...]

I Love “Context of Love” Readers

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Send me your Selfies! If you're reading In the Context of Love, send me your selfie and I'll add it to the gallery! I love my readers and the pictures they send. You guys rock. Big thanks to all of you! “With tenderness, but without blinking, Linda K. Sienkiewicz turns her eye on the predator-prey savannah of the young and still somehow hopeful.” ~ Jacquelyn Mitchard, … [Read more...]

Take 30 Minutes to Fix Your Novel

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After reading “Outline your Novel in Thirty Minutes” by Alicia Rasley in the Article of the Month blog, I realized my current outline was basically useless. No wonder my writing had been stalled! Applying this exercise to my work-in-progress created a new outline that is basic, but also concrete,  coherent, specific, and ten times better. Nine important questions cover key points that most … [Read more...]

Where to Start Your Novel

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The beginning as a place mark: We sit in front of the keyboard, poised, with an idea for a book spinning in our head, and find ourselves afraid to start. After all, we are aware we have one paragraph, or three at best, to capture the attention of the reader. My friend and mentor, Elizabeth Searle, gave me a great tip to get past this initial fear: Think of your current opening as nothing … [Read more...]

Girls and Christmas Dolls

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Chatty Cathy dolls were a wildly popular Christmas gift in the sixties that bring fond memories to many, along with some not-so-fond memories. A Facebook post I made about Cathy elicited some of the most interesting stories about dolls and gifts: Not the doll she'd hoped for Bunny said she pulled the cord out of her Chatty on Christmas Night; the ring was attached to a string that was … [Read more...]