Linda K Sienkiewicz

Writing life, line by line

How to Contrast Setting with Emotion

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Contrast emotion with setting in fiction This is a simple trick that can maximize any scene's emotional impact. A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton offers a great contrast between setting and emotion. The opening scene is in a bedroom in a Wisconsin farmhouse on a brilliant Monday morning in June. Alice lies in bed and contemplates her perfect life … [Read more...]

Speak without Shame: Sexual Assault

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TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains details which may be triggering to survivors of sexual assault. Admitting that you've been sexually assaulted isn't easy. The shame, the self blame, and the humiliation over being violated runs deep. For some, it's easier to pretend it didn't happen, until something jolts your memory and it all comes rushing back. Was it that bad? For me, the trigger was … [Read more...]

Frustration, or Lost in Translation

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When imagination is bigger than the child It’s important to teach children that when you reach a dead end, it’s okay to set the project aside. Sometimes the solution comes when you’re not even looking for it. Dead ends aren’t failures—they are pauses. Step back, breathe, return later. The process matters more than instant answers. The other day, my seven-year old granddaughter and I … [Read more...]

In the Context of Love: Book Trailer!

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Making a book trailer for In the Context of Love on iMovie was as much fun and almost as daunting as it was to write the book. There were so many directions to go in, so many possible scenarios and scripts... how would I decide on just one? My book trailer went through many versions, and learned some tips along the way. As it is with writing, you just have to do it. My first attempt at a video … [Read more...]

What, Why, How: Joy Gaines-Friedler

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WHAT? To live is to be creative – we are all creatures of creativity. I mean, I remember figuring out how to tie my shoe laces. That’s creativity. The ants figure out how to get into the hummingbird feeder! I’ve worked cleaning common areas of an apartment buildings, as a phone solicitor, in my father’s manufacturing plant, as an office manager, and for one day at Burger King where I (creatively) … [Read more...]