by gatlin | Jun 15, 2014 | Mystery Writing 101
There seems to be a lot of pressure to write a memorable, attention-grabbing, knock ’em dead first line. As authors, we’re supposed to understand its critical importance. Without an attention-grabbing, knock ‘em dead first line, readers may not move to the...
by gatlin | May 11, 2014 | Manuscript Editing
The Tampa Writer’s Alliance recommended five books that should be on very author’s bookshelf (or in their Kindle). I’ve read Stephen King’s “On Writing” and Renni Brown’s “Self Editing For Fiction Writers.”...
by gatlin | Mar 5, 2014 | Mystery Writing 101
At Sleuthfest, I attended a class by Wallace Stroby, the author of ‘Kings of Midnight‘ and ‘Shoot the Woman First,’ among others. Titled “Good Bad Guys and Bad Good Guys,” he made a great statement that “even Hitler loved his...
by gatlin | Nov 21, 2013 | Mystery Writing 101
It’s said that for a hero to be truly good, his enemy must be even better. Thus, a gripping story must have a well-written, memorable villain; someone who really challenges the hero and earns the reader’s respect. I’ve been considering this for weeks as I start...