Advice from Writers at the Glendale Chocolate Affair

Last weekend was the annual Chocolate Affair in Glendale, Arizona. As part of the celebration, romance writers sign books and give classes about various aspects of the craft and business of writing.

I attend the writer's classes whenever I can, and this year I've compiled my favorite tips from the various sessions I attended.

From Mona Hodgson:

Use description only when it serves a purpose in the story. It must advance the plot or make the characters and scene more vivid. If it's distracting from the character and what he or she is doing, cut it.     



Be a literal storyteller. Tell people about your novels. When you're telling them the story you're currently working on, watch to see if their eyes light up. If they don't, you might need to change something. If they ask questions, pay attention.


If you're writing a crime/police drama, don't be afraid to call your local police station, explain that you're a writer, and ask if there's someone you can talk to. More than likely, you'll find someone happy to tell you about themselves and their job. Don't think you aren't important enough to make the first call.


Don't write linking scenes just to write them. If you do, they'll be boring. Skip all the boring scenes.









Melinda Brasher's next book comes out soon!  Cruising Alaska on a Budget is a guide for people who think cruising is only for the rich and famous, for those who dream of experiencing the majesty of Alaska for the first time, and for confirmed Alaska lovers who want to save money on their next trip.  If this is you, sign up for the mailing list here.  Visit Melinda online at http://www.melindabrasher.com.

8 comments:

Pamela Tracy said...

Melinda,
Thanks so much for mentioning me. I've been writing for more than two decades and still attend writing workshops, too :)

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

I haven't ever seen a blog post quite like this. Wisdom from so many sources. Love it!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

Love seeing you here, Vijaya!

Karen Cioffi said...

Melinda, great writing tips from different authors. Thanks so much for sharing.

Melinda Brasher said...

Thanks for stopping by! I really enjoyed your class.

Melinda Brasher said...

Thanks. It was hard picking just one nugget of advice, but I like the variety.

Vijaya Schartz said...

Thanks for mentioning me, Melinda. I would add that these boring scenes can be easily replaced by a sentence or a paragraph of transition. Wishing you the best with your writing.

Linda Wilson said...

Great post, Melinda! The advice is sweet.

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