Rebecca Cornish Talley

Writing Fiction: Using the Senses

Rebecca Talley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:29:21 +0000

When writing fiction, it’s important to utilize as many of the senses as possible. The more you can include the senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste the more your readers will “feel” your story. As writers, we tend to use sight most frequently. We describe what our characters see more often than any other sense. We [...]

Credibility in Writing Fiction

Rebecca Talley — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:30:44 +0000

Credibility in your writing is crucial if you want readers to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in your story. For example, I’ve watched a television show that’s set in a city in California with which I’m very familiar. I know the city streets, beaches, and landscape of the city. I know the nuances and architecture. Though [...]

Secrets to Getting Published

Rebecca Talley — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:26:29 +0000

Some people believe there are secrets to getting a book published and if you know those secrets, you’ll soon become a published author. Is that true? Unfortunately, there are no “secrets” to getting published. Those who’ve found publication success have done so through hard work, dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to continue learning. Hard Work Writing a novel [...]

He Said, She Said: Dialogue Tags

Rebecca Talley — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:26:46 +0000

Many new writers complain that using “said” is too boring. They want to liven up their writing with new and different tags. The problem with using tags other than “said” is that 1) they call attention to themselves and draw the reader out of the story, and 2) they tell instead of show. For example: “You can’t [...]

Purple Prose

Rebecca Talley — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:06:27 +0000

What exactly is purple prose and why should you avoid it? Purple prose can be defined as overwriting, using flowery language, and making the writing so complicated it’s hard to even understand it. Purple prose calls attention to the writing instead of the story. Have you ever read any? It’s easy to spot. Here’s an example, “The [...]