M.A. Kropp: Writer, Blogger, GeekGirl. My Life. My Words. My Way.
It's at the center of every story. It is the thing that drives the action forward. It's what causes the characters to act and react. What is it? Conflict.Conflict arises when a character wants something and there are obstacles in the way of his getting that thing. It can be big (the hero must stop … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: Conflicted
Well, for me at least, it looks something like this: Yes, I do my revising, at least the first pass, on paper. It seems to help me if I can mark on, scribble notes, cross out, highlight, and rewrite sentences on an actual piece of paper. Later passes will probably get done on the computer, … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: What Does Revision Look Like?
I have been busy for the last year writing the third installment of my urban fantasy series. The first draft is now done, and I am letting it sit for a while before I dive into the revision process. I do this with most of my writing, and many other writers do, as well. Why? … Continue reading Wednesday On Writing: Should You Start Revising a Story as Soon as You Finish a Draft?
Remember high school writing classes? One of the first assignments was always to define the theme in what you were going to write. We still see theme mentioned in book reviews, in blurbs and book descriptions, and in discussions about books. So, what exactly is this theme thing and do you need to worry about … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: What is Theme and Do I Need One?
Boy, they seem to be rolling by fast, don't they? Of course, we were out of town for seven days, four of them on the road, so things are a bit disrupted in my brain right now. We also had the BaldMan needing to have a detached retina reattached and of course, he can't drive … Continue reading Monday Musings: And Another Week Bites the Dust
Find your own voice. That bit of writing advice is tossed around all the time. It's a good bit, but it can be a bit vague, especially to new writers. We are told to find our voice, but not what is it and how to go about finding it. Let's talk a little bit about … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: Voice
Ah, writers. We are a tortured lot, are we not? We love to twist our brains and emotions into knots of self-doubt and fear. Nowhere is this more obvious as when we are comparing ourselves to other writers. Most of what follows is aimed at independently published writers. Traditional has its bugs, too, but I … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: And What About Those Other Guys?
Worldbuilding is a big topic in science fiction and fantasy. Not that it isn't important in other genres, because of course it is, but in sf/f, it is one of the bigger components of many stories. After all, we are often conceiving either worlds that never existed or haven't yet come to be. We are … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: Worldbuilding- Plan It All or Let It Grow On Its Own
I have been using these Wednesday posts to talk about some aspects of writing. Sometimes craft, sometimes publishing, sometimes other things. Always just my opinion and/or experience. I thought I would do something a little bit different today and give you a quick update on what has been on my writing schedule lately. Main Work in Progress: … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: So, What Am I Doing Lately?
Here's another question that gets discussed in writing groups a lot. There are those who think that a writer doesn't need to know or care about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of writing. After all, isn't that what editors are for? Yes and no. From my point of view, mostly no. Yes, one of … Continue reading Wednesday on Writing: Do I Really Need to Know Grammar and Spelling?
