Welcome to First Lines Given! If that sentence confuses you, here's a link to where I explain what this is. Today's first line is by Innerdialects! She said: I decided to go in a different direction than I normally go in. Here's the result: It seemed like a good start. It had that edge, that … Continue reading First lines given – #9
Tag: stories
Writers will never run out of stories to tell
After every concert I go to, I notice more how artists are all different—unique—even if they play the same songs. For example, no one ever sings "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" the same way. They all put their own twists and spins on it. If you don't believe me, try it. Click on … Continue reading Writers will never run out of stories to tell
What credentials should you put in your query letter?
At the end of a query letter, it's important to write something about yourself. But...what do you write? Some people write about where they got their college degrees from. Or perhaps how long they've been working on this manuscript. But is that necessary? Let's find out! Degrees (BA OR MFA) Degrees are usually only necessary … Continue reading What credentials should you put in your query letter?
Book review – Gatekeeper (Spoiler Free)
“People act as if they no longer know me / I feel as if I'm speaking from inside an error” Title: GatekeepeerAuthor: Patrick JohnsonGenre: PoetryPages: 96 pagesPublication date: December 10, 2019Publisher: Milkweed Editions At AWP this year, I stopped by the Milkweeds booth at the book fair, and Gatekeeper caught my eye. Some pages inside … Continue reading Book review – Gatekeeper (Spoiler Free)
For all the writers who want to quit
Sometimes writing may feel like a waste of time. Like we're getting nowhere. Like the world is just waiting for us to crumble and fall to our knees. But we're not built for that. We're writers with dreams to touch someone else's heart with words. Our writing lets us to spread our wings and reach … Continue reading For all the writers who want to quit
We can’t tell a “single story”
So, I watch Ted Talks from time to time. One of them caught my eye recently, and I decided to share it with y'all. It's called "The danger of a single story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Towards the beginning, she mentions how: "All my characters were white and blue-eyed. They played in the snow. They … Continue reading We can’t tell a “single story”
Book review – We Are Okay (Spoiler Free)
“I wonder if there's a secret current that connects people who have lost something. Not in the way that everyone loses something, but in the way that undoes your life, undoes your self, so that when you look at your face it isn't yours anymore.” Title: We Are OkayAuthor: Nina LaCourGenre: FictionPages: 236 pagesPublication date: … Continue reading Book review – We Are Okay (Spoiler Free)
I asked for poetry advice once and…
I asked for poetry advice once. Gave out a few poems. Out of the two that answered, only one responded. What I got was: "Read more poetry books." I've read poetry, but I asked for a critique. So, I only assumed that my work was terrible. A disaster. I'm not sure what else to think … Continue reading I asked for poetry advice once and…
How many books do you have to write to write a good one?
I've had that question for a while now. How many books do you have to write to write a good one? I knew some authors wrote one book, had a few drafts, and published a brilliant piece of work. Some wrote a few novels before one of theirs got published. Some writers told me that … Continue reading How many books do you have to write to write a good one?
Common writer mistakes #3
#3 - Repeating words for emphasis In some cases, repeating words helps. "Please, Elie," I begged. "You have to do this. You know how much it means to me. Please." See how the 'please' is repeated? It didn't seem to overdo the dialogue, because it was separated out by two full sentences. It felt smooth, … Continue reading Common writer mistakes #3
