Fiction: Attributive Clauses
The time has come to discuss one of the most annoying and under-discussed aspects of fiction writing. I refer to the dreaded Busy Attributive. What, you ask, is a Busy Attributive? Let us start with...
View ArticleFiction: Titles
It happens every semester I teach fiction, usually on the day we distribute stories for the first workshop. A student will raise her hand and offer the following caveat: “So I just wanted to, like,...
View ArticleFiction: Point of View
How many times have you heard this around the workshop table: “Why don’t you consider a new point of view?” (Actually, the term used more often is “POV” because it sounds a lot cooler, I suspect.) It’s...
View ArticlePut Your Fiction To The Plausibility Test
I’m afraid I’ll have to start my discussion of plausibility with a student story that remains vivid to me after some five years. I should preface my thoughts by noting how generally awesome my students...
View ArticleThe Downside to DIY Publishing
For those of you curious about the world of do-it-yourself publishing, here are a few (humorous) questions you might want to ask yourself before you decide, as I did, to publish your own books. 1. Do I...
View Article
