Carrie | September 10, 2011
Many factors play into the writing life. Imagination. Creativity. The ability to say what you mean in interesting and understandable ways. But there is one thing that surpasses all of the skill and talent in the world. A friend of mine calls it stick-to-it-iveness. Without it, you’re just a well-intentioned and talented wannabe. There’s definitely [...]
Carrie | September 3, 2011
I love writing in first person. My two favorite manuscripts are written first person. My favorite one is written first person male and that lead character is my favorite son. He’s also head strong, opinionated, and difficult to manage, but that’s another post! Writing in first person comes with inherent risks. It’s such a turn [...]
Carrie | August 12, 2011
In a previous post, I asked for recommendations for novels written in omniscient voice. I’ll be researching omniscient voice by reading those types of novels once I concluded writing studies. Studies are approaching their conclusion, so it’s time to start looking at some of those novels. Some titles have been recommended. Thank you to those [...]
Carrie | July 9, 2011
I’ve been a ‘business artist’ a lot longer than I’ve been a ‘business writer’. I’ve been painting for profit for over 35 years. I’ve been a disciplined writer since June 2008. A little over three years. During that time, I’ve talked with dozens of artists. I’ve also talked to dozens of writers and one of [...]
Carrie | June 25, 2011
This week, I’m sharing with you some of my favorite – and most helpful – blog posts from the week just past. Click on each title to read the blog post. I hope you find them as helpful, entertaining, and fun as I did. Whither Goest the Christian Cozy? Author Ron Benrey discusses the status [...]
Carrie | May 28, 2011
Carrie takes a look at five ways for authors to alienate their readers.
Carrie | May 21, 2011
One of the first things every writer has to decide when starting a new novel is point of view. Who among their characters will be telling the story? Learn about four points of view.
Carrie | May 7, 2011
In a previous post, I talked about finding the voice of my writing as a body of work and for each individual story. This time, I’d like to talk about finding the message of a story. It may seem like voice and message are the same, but they are not. Closely linked, yes, but not [...]
Carrie | March 26, 2011
I can tell you a writer’s voice and an artist’s style are very close to the same thing. An artist doesn’t usually set out to develop a certain style, it just happens. Case in point. I began painting pictures of horses in grade school and sold my first portrait in high school. All I wanted [...]
Carrie | March 19, 2011
One of the tools I’ve found especially helpful with the logistics of a novel is writing a time line. It can be as detailed as I want and usually includes events and information that don’t appear directly in the story, but that do have an impact. It goes something like this.
I've been an avid looker-at of books since I was old enough to sit on her lap and listen to the stories she read.
The oldest complete manuscript I have was written when I was in the eighth grade.
Throughout grade school and high school, I read every horse story I could get my hands on. Walter Farley was a huge favorite and I still enjoy reading the adventures of the Black Stallion and Flame and all the rest. But Marguerite Henry, C. W. Anderson, Thomas Hinkle and anyone else who wrote a story about a horse was on my to-read list. I couldn't get enough of them.
Then I found Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and discovered another world; the world of mysteries!
More recently Dick Francis has combined my love of horse stories with my love of mysteries with his series of books.
In the early part of this century, I was introduced to the world of Christian fiction and in July of 2008, I took my first ever writing workshop. The workshop covered several aspects of writing from a Christian worldview and an entirely new vista opened before me.
I am, as yet, unpublished. I write every day, maintain painting and writing blogs, painting journals, writing journals and a number of other writing endeavors. Along with other members of my church family, I've written devotions for Advent and Lenten devotional booklets. For a time, I wrote a monthly column for the Newton Kansan newspaper.
I still enjoy a good horse story but I also enjoy a good mystery or cozy mystery, suspense and a little bit of action here and there, as well as literary works. I hope, Lord willing, to try my hand at each of those genres.
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