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...]
BAIPA Members Spreading the Word to Writers
BAIPA members Betsy Graziani Fasbinder, John Byrne Barry, and Becky Parker Geist will be leading local workshops this month and next. Betsy Graziani Fasbinder, who presented “From Page to Stage” at BAIPA in October 2017, will be at Book Passage … [Read more...]
‘Setting That Works’ Workshop April 3 in Berkeley
On April 3 at 6 pm, I’ll be leading a two-hour workshop for the California Writers Club in Berkeley — Setting That Works: How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More. (If you were at are our March BAIPA meeting, you … [Read more...]
Who Makes the Rules for the English Language?
A blog post by Arlene Miller, The Grammar Diva — As a copyeditor and grammarian, I sometimes find myself having to defend my position on a point of grammar or punctuation. For example, someone will ask me why I took out the comma … [Read more...]
‘Setting That Works’ on November 11 at Book Passage
How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, and Echo Theme On November 11 at 2 pm, I’ll be leading a workshop on setting at the California Writers Club Marin monthly meeting at Book Passage. The best and most memorable setting is … [Read more...]
Editor David Colin Carr Hosts “Craft of Writing” Conversations Thursdays at Larkspur Landing
Starting this week, I will be adding Craft of Writing conversations at 2:00 every Thursday, following David Kudler’s self-publishing open question period at Wise & Son or Starbucks (Larkspur Landing). Bring questions about structure, … [Read more...]