Ever wish you could get the inside scoop on what MFA programs are looking for in applicants? Author Elizabeth McCracken has served on MFA juries and seen first-hand the applications that make the grade. Her Twitter page includes numerous tips for aspiring writers. Top three include: Make your writing sample shine. Short stories trump excerpts from Read More
Create Compelling Characters…Read on to learn the secrets
If a book is "formulaic," meaning that the plot and characters are those that we've seen too many times before, chances are the reviews won't be stellar and sales will be dismal. Yet, because we are all exposed to the same stimuli, it's hard to think of new scenarios. One of the best ways to encourage your plot to soar into new directions is by ensuring that Read More
Impress College Admissions
For me, summer officially starts when my kids are out of school. This Friday will mark their last day and I’m so excited to launch some new projects. One of them is a program directed at high school students, which puts the lazy days of summer to good use and will impress college admissions officers. I recently met with a college guidance counselor who gave Read More
A Social Shift in Writing
Clive Thompson wrote in Wired Magazine about how our language has changed due to electronics. He calls it a social shift in writing as smart phones and dictation apps automatically make our writing more casual. Furthermore, voice dictation software is becoming more widely used and also contributes to this casual prose phenomenon. A recent study analyzed how Read More