April

Fiction novels typically come to be in one of two ways: as the final product of a writer’s effort that may have taken months (or several years) to complete, or a story that suddenly and overwhelmingly took form in a writer’s mind so that he or she had to sit down immediately to start writing, completing an entire … Read more

Numerous genres comprise the fiction industry. Perhaps you’ve tried your hand at a few. Then again, you might relate to many authors who discover their talent in a specific category, so they stick with that genre. Their goal is to be prolific and become known for that realm, (I.e. “best-selling romance novelist”). Whether you’ve dabbled in … Read more

Thinking back, you can no doubt easily compile a list of blockbuster movies that were based on novels. To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Rings and The Wizard of Oz are a few examples. Literary fans often shirk the movie adaptation of their favorite novels, saying Hollywood more-often-than-not “ruins” the stories. Avid readers can … Read more

Authors who write tragic tales often feel conflicted about their craft. After all, their main goal is to cause their readers emotional upheaval, devastation and sorrow. If a reader reaches for a box of tissues while flipping pages, the goal is accomplished! Writing a great tragedy can be challenging.  It’s helpful to keep three key … Read more

Readers who love fiction want to feel connected to the characters in their books. If they find themselves being drawn to a particular author, they might also enjoy staying updated on his or her work. Readers often follow their favorite authors on social media and subscribe to their email lists or blog. If you’re an … Read more

As we ring in a new year, many of us set goals, which may include things we hope to accomplish in our careers, finances, relationships or personal lives. As opposed to a bucket list, which often features things we hope to do before we die, the goals we set for a new year are often … Read more

If you submit a fiction novel manuscript to a publisher and haven’t fully developed your characters, chances are you will receive a rejection notice. Great writers understand that characters in a fiction novel must be relatable so their readers will feel connected and willing to invest their time reading the whole story.  A fully developed … Read more

If you call to mind stories like “The Great Gatsby,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” or “Crime and Punishment,” you might remember your literature teacher assigning these books in high school. Perhaps you’ve read them more than once. These novels fall under a category known as “classic literature.”  What makes a specific book a classic … Read more

If you were the type of student who enjoyed English classes in elementary school, you may recall learning about adverbs. These words often end in “ly” (but not always, so be careful!), and their purpose is to modify adjectives, verbs or other adverbs. They do this by expressing manner, degree, place, time or frequency. In … Read more

If you’ve been wanting to restore the traditional practice of family read-aloud time, then the Christmas season is the perfect time to start. If you have children in various age groups in your family, you can choose selections accordingly, something simple and full of beautiful illustrations for the younger kids, followed by some longer chapter … Read more