While directing my play, “Sausalypso Houseboat Wars Murder Mystery,” I was reading Save the Cat Writes a Novel, in which author Jessica Brody lays out the various “beats” in a novel, one of which is “All is Lost.” Three days before Opening Night, … [Read more...]
Sausalypso Houseboat Wars Murder Mystery Opens in Tam Valley on March 3
Three years ago, at the beginning of the pandemic, I wrote a murder mystery play for my local community theater troupe, the Tam Valley Players, not realizing it would be years before we returned to live theater. Now it has been years and I am … [Read more...]
Join Us for ‘Setting That Works’ Workshop on October 15 @ 10 am
Setting That Works How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More Flash Flood In my first novel — Bones in the Wash: Politics is Tough. Family is Tougher. — my protagonist, Tomas Zamara, the mayor of … [Read more...]
Banff Centre’s Online Writers Residency
Would your writing benefit from one on one mentorship? Banff Centre’s Online Writers Residency is a fully funded opportunity to gain feedback and professional development from the comfort of your work space. Late Winter Writers Residency Online … [Read more...]
Steven Pinker on Linguistics and Style
I enjoyed this Steven Pinker video on grammar and usage. You might too. He’s got a sense of humor. … [Read more...]
John Byrne Barry Presents ‘Setting That Works’ on April 18
On Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 am, I’ll be presenting “Setting That Works — How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More” for the California Writers Club SF Peninsula. Of course, we won’t be meeting in person, but … [Read more...]
Book Passage Hosts Zoom Conversations With your Favorite Writers
Here's a new idea that Book Passage just started to keep readers alert and involved during this coronavirus crisis. 8,000 people have signed up for it already! Each Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. on Zoom, you can watch hourlong conversations … [Read more...]
British Versus American English, Part 1
It’s all the same language, but it’s different – American versus British English. And the British did have it first. The differences between American and British English are pretty minor, though. An American can understand someone speaking British … [Read more...]
How Beta Readers Made My Book Better — Getting What I Needed Helped More Than Getting What I Wanted
A year ago, as I was finishing the first beginning-to-end draft of my third novel, When I Killed My Father: An Assisted Suicide Family Thriller, I recruited a dozen beta readers to help me make it better. I asked for honest feedback, which I … [Read more...]
Great article on words that have at least two meanings
Thanks to BAIPA member, Chris Santilli Johnson, for this fascinating article that might prove useful in our writing efforts. … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 5
- Next Page »