Greg Mankiw dedicated a post on his blog to discussing tips for becoming successful and why so many fail.
Daniel K. Schneiderwrote this textbook writing tutorial and while he says he does not personally write textbooks, his breakdown of what they should contain is interesting.
Stephen King is both a talented writer and teacher (his chosen vocation before becoming a famous author). Anyone interested either in him or becoming a writer should read his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. This book is full of advice, humor, entertainment and inspiration.
I have often enjoyed his books, but more than that, I find him to be a very effective instructor who willingly shares his own tales of struggle and offers his advice to others. His interviews show him to be a man of remarkable intelligence and generosity – someone we can all learn from.
“Re-imagined” is a popular term used in the film industry. It lets audiences know the product is more than a remake; the creators are not following the original closely.
“Reimaginings and renovations often contain tongue in cheek references to the original, with characters of the same name and similar concepts, while remaining significantly different from the original.”
In essence, a screenwriter can tap into a popular vein, to create a world without limitations. Thus, making audiences attracted to a specific name fall in love with an all new story.
A few of my favorite re-imaginings include: Alice in Wonderland, Batman Begins, Casino Royale, Sherlock Holmes, Star Trek and the television series Battlestar Galactica.
Some people view these shows as second only to plagiarism and claim Hollywood has no originality. How do you feel about reimagined films? In your opinion, what are some of the best and worst “re-imaginings”?
I just wrote my first query. Until now, everything I have submitted/published has been by invitation so I had no need for one. It’s time to dust off at least one of the books I have written and submit it for publication. Thus, I am sharing my first attempt at a query and I humbly ask for your opinion/critique. Please be honest as this is a learning experience. Any advice or comments will be greatly appreciated.
DearSubmissions Editor:
Stone of Destiny is a completed 70,000 word historical romance set in fourteenth century Europe. It’s the story of an English woman whose sister is kidnapped and the Scottish Laird forced by circumstance to help save her. Together they must fight for trust and love.
My novel will appeal to fans of both romance and history. I taught English and writing classes centering on this time period. I live in Texas and have been published in several newspapers and anthologies. I’m a member of the Golden Triangle Writer’s Guild.
If my book interests you, I would be delighted to send you the complete manuscript. Enclosed is a synopsis and the first three chapters along with a SASE for your reply. If you prefer, you can send an e-mail.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Sylvia Ney
Side note: A special thank you to Carole Anne Carrfor this Inspiration award. I am a fan of Lewis Carroll so I absolutely love her blog design!
Here are the rules for receiving the award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded this to you.
2. Link posts to ten fellow bloggers you find inspirational.
3. Forward the award to 10 other bloggers.
I have met so many wonderful bloggers this month, I cannot pick just ten. Instead, I want to invite any of my followers to accept this award by leaving a comment below with a link back to your own site.
Don't forget to critique my synopsis. Thank you and Happy Writing!
Nicknamed “America’s Shakespeare,” Edgar Allan Poe wrote detective stories, science fiction, horror stories and poetry. He is one of my favorite authors and I recommend his Complete Works if you’ve never read them.
One place on my “must visit” list is the Poe Museum: http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php The museum is located only a few blocks from his childhood home and this website is an excellent source of information for anyone interested in Poe. Aside from information and pictures about the museum (including documents signed by Poe and some of his furniture) there is a section on Poe’s Life and one on his works.
Teachers can request a free educator’s packet. Students can play games such as “Solve the Mystery of Poe’s Death”, “Fact or Fiction”, “Celebrate Poe’s 200th Birthday” or enter the “Young Writer’s Contest”. You can watch “Tell-Tale Heart” and of course, there is a gift shop.
If you’ve ever written or enjoyed a love poem, horror movie or a murder mystery then you understand the mass appeal of Poe and why I want to visit this museum. He is still inspiring culture 160 year after his death.
A writer uses many tools: pencil, pen, paper, computer, an imagination and a good dictionary and thesaurus.
The Oxford English Dictionary is an unabridged dictionary based on historical principles and answers questions about English spelling, grammar, usage and origin. The OED is also a record of the English language and provides timelines of when words entered the English language. It is considered the longest and most complete official dictionary.
There is also an OED Thesaurus. This companion provides aid choosing the correct word and meaning based on currency and style, synonyms, metaphors, and organized information on the history of the words.
On Amazon you can purchase an unabridged 20 volume set of the OED for more than $1200 and a two volume set of the OED thesaurus for $500.
The use of words is the most important skill a writer can have. Therefore, you must have access to one of the best “word” resources. Good luck and happy writing!
Film noir, French for “black film”, is the classification for the popular films of the 40’s and 50’s that combined crime, cynical attitudes and sexual motivations.
I’m a fan of Alfred Hitchcock. Add Cary Grant and you get my favorite Film Noir Notorious. It’s the story of two lovers whose lives and relationship are torn apart by espionage and undercover work for the government. Below are two of my favorite scenes from this movie.
The first is a wide look at a grand mansion. The camera shows the house packed with happy party guests, but finally zooms in on Ingrid Bergman’s hand concealing a key. No words are necessary to convey the powerful meaning of her actions.
The second scene has been termed one of the most “intimate and erotic kisses”. Production Code’s at the time banned kisses longer than three seconds in duration. Hitchcock had his actors disengage every three seconds, murmur and nuzzle each other, then kiss again. They even walk from room to room without every breaking contact for approximately three minutes.
Many screenwriters today copy or pay homage to those films, creating a kind of “Modern Day Noir”. If you are interested in writing your own Noir there are a few rules.
1.Read/watch classic Noir (see examples below).
2.Decide on the circumstances of the crime. All noir mystery stories explore the meaning of good and evil, so be sure to address this theme. There's more emphasis on characters in noir mysteries than others, the deed must be evil enough to create a dark, cynical atmosphere.
3.Decide on an angle for telling the story. You MUST capture the dark atmosphere of the genre. Remember, you can't count on the police or a private investigator to tell your story. The narrator must be someone with first-hand knowledge of the crime, if not the actual criminal.
4.Clarify exactly how the crime was committed down to the last detail. A map of the setting and a blow-by-blow description will help you organize this information. Make a list of clues and build scenes around their gradual discovery.
5.Write character sketches of everyone involved, especially the suspects. You need to figure out how to portray the steamy relationship between your femme fatale and the man she lures into the crime.
In Writing Textbooks: Why Doesn't It Count? Roddy Roediger discusses his personal success in the face of being told he could lose his chance at tenure. 
