A problem with ending a story starts at the beginning.
Asked and Answered: Song Lyrics
Wouldn’t you rather be learning the native cuisine for your novel’s setting or the intricacies of your character’s career than learning about the fair use doctrine and public domain?
Stood up, Walked Over and Grabbed – Ways to Avoid Dull Words
Dull empty words – “She stood up, walked across the room and grabbed…” They add so little to any story that readers probably skip them, so why bother writing them?
Linear or Non-Linear?
As a Pisces with six planets in Pisces, I’m lucky not to be in orbit. My muse is the Pisces, but the writer’s legs touch the ground, even though sometimes she’s on tiptoes.
Dialogue and Sex and Curious Readers
Nobody asks if you play the violin, can construct a 7-layer wedding cake, run marathons, create fine art, practice patent law, sing jazz, or solve quadratic equations for fun.
Which Comes First, Plot or Characters?
Theme, character, plot for me are like making a ball of jello.
Is Setting as Important as Character or Plot?
Is it a main character, a secondary character or an incidental one – once the author decides that, then the work to be done is clear.
Should You? Using Song Lyrics in Fiction
It’s a natural inclination to refer to, quote from and honor words of others that move us. Frequently, then, the question comes up: can I quote song lyrics in my story? To me the legal issues are secondary to the artistic concerns.