I don't know about you, but I'd rather be writing than six feet under! All our experiences, whether mundane or magnificent, are fodder for the next story or book or character. They give us something new to write about.

I keep my phone nearby all the time. Who doesn't th...

Lazy writers waste words. They use three when one excellent, descriptive verb or adjective will do much better. That's what's called "tight writing." 

Having written for magazines and corporate newsletters for years, I've learned the value and necessity of tight wr...

No, it's not the end of Caren Austen, Ink, but emphasis on the importance of ending well. As Longfellow put it, "Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending." In fact, some people write backward, as it were. They start with the end in mind. Others c...

Writing, especially when we put it out there for others to read, is a lot like jumping off a cliff. We're never quite sure if we'll fly or if we'll fall. Writing takes courage. Not the kind of life or death courage of a soldier, police officer, or firefighter. It does,...

We all know what K.I.S.S. stands for. Well, I'm changing it up a bit for my own purposes: Keep It Short, Stupid. I am in no way assuming my readers are stupid. After all, you're reading my post. That, alone, assures me you have discerning taste. 

Back to Keep It Short -...

Are you a scrupulous writer? I think the reason so many writers don't achieve their goals is that they lack natural talent, or they don't take the time to examine every paragraph, every sentence, every word. When people hear that I'm a writer, they often say something...

"I laughed. I cried. I was moved." Isn't that what you want your readers to say about your book? I do! We have to feel it first. If your writing, your story doesn't move you, the person closest to it, it certainly won't move anyone else. Part of what makes my writing s...

I read Jane Eyre and Tale of Two Cities every couple of years. I just can't get enough. The stories are great, but I keep learning from the masterful telling of tales. As writers, we should always be reading too. I'd like to hear from you. What are you reading right no...

Whoa! Isn't that the truth? When all feels right in our world, we go on our merry way without giving a thought to much except our own happiness as if it would continue forever. But, when pain hits, we cry out. We curse God and question Him, "Why me?" Funny that we neve...