Writing Unleashed with Laura M. Harkins

My lack of knowledge astounds me every day. In the process of researching for a blog post, I came across the do's and don't's of dialogue. When a character trails off, you use the ellipsis (...) and when a character is cut off by another character, you use the dash (—).  I’m not sure when I should have learned this bit of information. Did you know that? Either way, I jumped on the emotional rollercoaster a writer and artist know well. The first thought that came in my head was “Doh!” My self-esteem took a plunge, making my stomach drop and the air to whoosh out of my lungs. How could I be such a doofus? Will people make fun of me? Once the pity party ended, I realized that it’s ok not to know everything. The fact that the world still holds so much knowledge and information undiscovered by me blew my mind. What a wonderful feeling to know nothing. Look out world, here comes my knowledge hungry curiosity! What have you learned recently that made you palm...

Sunset sets sky on fire in Tullytown, PA Tonight I plan to enjoy the after-rain fall sunset, laugh at myself, float in my Placebo kind of mood and write. I found a few writing-specific posts I wanted to share with you. 1. Improving Craft : Check out Jeff Gerke’s article on taking your DIALOGUE to the next level: publishable: Stilted Dialogue   2.  Writing Reboot : Rachelle Gardner offers advice to writers looking to make writing goals: Your Writer Goals 3. Blogging: Michael Hyatt helps you cut down blog-writing time with an easy-to-follow list.  How to Write a Blog Post in 70 Minutes or Less 4.  Deciphering Rejection Letters : Nancy Martin guest post at The Blood-Red Pencil unravels the subtext in rejection letters from agents to help you improve your writing: Not Right For Us At This Time 5.  Dear Series Writers : Would you tackle a spin-off? Elizabeth Lynn Casey discusses the pros and cons of writing a spin-off. ...

discoveringmandarin.blogspot.com My first assignment for 200 Proof Storytelling required me to write a scene predominantly dialogue to practice status play.  The character with high status is considered to be in control; the other one has low status.  The point of the assignment was to create more dynamic dialogue, whether funny or dramatic, by tossing the high status between the two characters. The exercise provided an opportunity to better understand my characters in a short story I've been working on.  I'm struggling with the characters.  Their personality, motivation and how they handle situations is not fully developed. The scene with the abusive husband and his wife precedes my story and will not be included.  Although the husband is the aggressor, I wanted the wife to exhibit the strength she'll need to runaway in the short story. Disclaimer : The following scene contains: explicit violence and adult language. Punishment It was a chilly W...