Post Archive by Month

Probably one of the greatest challenges for a fiction writer is writing emotional scenes that are genuine, believable, and moving—while steering clear of the sand traps of sappy, phony, and overdone. Why is it so hard to write an emotional scene that works? I think it’s because the human heart is subtle, so the writing must be incredibly subtle to ... Read More

As a book editor, I sometimes find my author clients don’t believe me when I tell them an expression is hackneyed. Hackneyed (cliche) expressions are somewhat forgivable in nonfiction writing, but in fiction, they’re the kiss of death. How many times have you read the phrase “rosy-fingered dawn” or “the sweetness of his kiss”? How many more times do you ... Read More