A Blog for Readers and Writers of Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Fiction
There is more than one way to write a book, or better stated, to conceive a book. However, outlining is often given a harsh shake of the head. Not creative enough. Constraining.
Recently I asked a number of writers why they felt this way. More to the point, I asked them what they meant by outlining.
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Words on the page. Most writers agree that this is the key ingredient to shift from wanting to be a writer to being a writer. It is certainly key to seeing your book in print. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was created with this in mind: words on the page. Fifty thousand words, ideally.
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Right now, I’m soaking in the sights and sounds and tastes of the United Kingdom. Traveling outside my day-to-day routine means more chances to observe and to be inspired.
With that on my mind, here are a few tips to travel like a writer.
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Fellow Miss Demeanors, where do you turn for a book recommendation?
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Later this summer I set sail across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II, the perfect place for a locked room mystery! While much larger than Agatha Christie’s vessel in Death on the Nile, it has a common essential element – no one can come on or off. If you aren’t familiar with the idea of a locked room mystery, here are a few essentials and a confession.
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Delighted to host Emmeline Duncan today. The second book in her Ground Rules Mystery series launched two weeks ago and she’s here to share some insights into her writing life.
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Granted, pantsing (writing by the seat of your pants) sounds fun, but don’t turn your back on an outline quite yet.
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Some characters make a lasting impression. Whether writing or reading we want characters that are memorable. But in a good way, an authentic way. Perhaps even a character we can learn from. I recently came across a character that stood out from the very beginning.
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Is there something you’d like to do that is just a touch out of reach, but the idea stays with you as a wonderful dream just the same?
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I’m delighted to have Edwin Hill with us today! Edwin is the Edgar- and Agatha-award nominated author of three novels in the Hester Thursby series. His first standalone thriller, The Secrets We Share, will arrive in bookstores March 29th. (Comment on this post or on Facebook for a chance to win! But do it by launch day, March 29)
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