Category Archives: writing

Voices: the tool for presenting a story

Posted on 20/04/2024 by Dr Bob Rich

Here is Skye Taylor’s homework assignment for her faithful followers: “What’s your favorite POV to write and/or read and why? What advantages might Omniscient, 3rd person or 1st person offer? What might be the disadvantages?” First of all, people who … Continue reading →

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Research for writing

Posted on 16/03/2024 by Dr Bob Rich

I can’t help it. I look at a word, and it plays with me. If you didn’t know the meaning of “research,” you would have to deduce “search again,” right? But no. It is actually search the first time. Research … Continue reading →

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Want to wow a publisher?

Posted on 27/02/2024 by Dr Bob Rich

Years ago, I did an online course with Emily Harstone, and since then have been a part of the Authors Publish community. This is run by a small, supportive group led by Jacob and Caitlin Jans. Jacob has just let … Continue reading →

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Goal, Motivation, Conflict

Posted on 17/02/2024 by Dr Bob Rich

The best time to do anything is immediately if not sooner. Today, 10 February, I received our round robin topic from Skye Taylor: “Goal, Motivation, and Conflict — The difference between inner conflict and outer conflict and how it keeps … Continue reading →

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Freebies?

Posted on 20/01/2024 by Dr Bob Rich

For our monthly writers’ fun, Skye Taylor wants us to share the secret of whether we have used giveaways for marketing, and how well that has worked. I would much prefer a world in which everything is free, and people … Continue reading →

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Eight presents for you

Posted on 16/12/2023 by Dr Bob Rich

This time of the year I hope I can grab your ear (metaphorically only) and in case you are lonely I can bring you some cheer without gulping wine or beer. There’s nothing better than to read a little story—and … Continue reading →

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Miss Stake

Posted on 11/12/2023 by Dr Bob Rich

Miss Stake is a wretched person who has been torturing me all my life. “If something can be done the wrong way, or even if it can’t, he’ll do it that way first.”   This was my stepfather’s assessment of … Continue reading →

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Setting the scene

Posted on 18/11/2023 by Dr Bob Rich

Out topic from Skye Taylor is: “Setting the Scene: Or as one blogger has suggested: Your scene is a sketch, not a photograph.” To me, this topic concerns the amount of description needed to make a scene come to life … Continue reading →

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How to fix a sagging middle

Posted on 28/10/2023 by Dr Bob Rich

Skye Taylor has set us a topic I frequently grapple with when editing books by inexperienced writers. Often, they have a great start, then, um, things fade away. All the same, I first just HAVE to address the lovely image. … Continue reading →

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When you can’t have dialogue

Posted on 25/10/2023 by Dr Bob Rich

I’ll be posting my contribution to the next round robin on Saturday 28 October, and wanted an illustration of how to stop the text from sagging when dialogue is not possible. Here is a short excerpt from The Travels of … Continue reading →

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