Search found 7 matches
- July 2nd, 2012, 2:39 am
- Forum: Self-Publishing
- Topic: CreateSpace, LuLu, SmashWords...Which One?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 13590
Re: CreateSpace, LuLu, SmashWords...Which One?
Smashwords is surprisingly easy to use. If you can edit and format a manuscript, the extra instructions for preparing your document for publication are no problem at all to follow. My only concern with Smashwords at the moment is that it seems to be attracting a glut of trashy looking porn and eroti...
- December 5th, 2011, 8:25 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Passive vs. Active Voice - who is winning in your WIP?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 6900
Re: Passive vs. Active Voice - who is winning in your WIP?
The active voice has its place, for sure, but let's not fall into the trap that all things 'passive voice' are the death knell of readable writing. Take the trees example. In raw active vs passive terms, yes, it makes much more sense to write 'the wind blew down the trees' rather than 'trees were bl...
- February 23rd, 2011, 3:07 am
- Forum: Books
- Topic: Habit: skipping parts or passages in a novel
- Replies: 53
- Views: 21706
Re: Habit: skipping parts or passages in a novel
It isn't for the reader to know what's important and what isn't until they get to the end of the book.
- September 10th, 2010, 11:39 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: The importance (and difficulty) of gestures
- Replies: 55
- Views: 48532
Re: The importance (and difficulty) of gestures
This is a conundrum. Too much shrugging, sighing and eye rolling, and you have a sci fi novel where humankind is slowly obliterated by evil aliens with irritating nerve agents. Too little, and you have a play. The gestures to watch are the common ones, like those I've listed. In every chapter, I try...
- July 27th, 2010, 6:44 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Tips for Dialogue Among Multiple Characters?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 7949
Re: Tips for Dialogue Among Multiple Characters?
'I'd rather read dialogue tags,' I said, 'than trawl through a morass of one liners interspersed with descriptions of nervous tics, ways of playing with food, and other distractions far, far worse than any exasperation, ejaculation or gasp.' My dinner guests convulsed as one, threw up their spaghett...
- February 28th, 2010, 1:56 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17068
Re: Are dialogue tags really that bad?
I get very confused by long passages of dialogue without tags. Plus, if I want to witness people just speaking, I'll go and watch a play. It's true that tags used badly are annoyingly visible, and elaborate variations on the theme of 'said' moreso, but my take is that since these words exist, we may...
- December 15th, 2009, 1:53 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Hand vs. Type
- Replies: 24
- Views: 9592
Re: Hand vs. Type
The computer is great for finished edits, but not so good for first drafts. I hear what people are saying about the usefulness of DELETE or CUT n PASTE — but simple scribbling out is a Godsend, as is an ability to insert notes anywhere on a page. I wouldn't be without either when the first ideas are...