Photo Credit: Darren Johnson / iDJ Photography via Compfight cc
Keep those faces in mind, the little girls and boys in the early grades, all trusting the adults to show them the way, all eager and excited about life and what will come next, and then just follow those faces over time. Follow the face of a little girl who doesn’t read very
well and is told to try harder; who tends to daydream and is told she better pay attention; who talks out in class when she sees something fascinating, like a butterfly on the windowpane, and is told to leave the class and report to the principal; who forgets her homework and is told she will just never learn, will she; who writes a story rich in imagination and insight and is told her handwriting and spelling are atrocious; who asks for help and is told she should try harder herself before getting others to do her work for her; who begins to feel unhappy in school and is told that big girls try harder. This is the brutal process of the breaking of the spirit of a child. I can think of no more precious resource than the spirits of our children. Life necessarily breaks us all down somewhat, but to do it unnecessarily to our children in the name of educating them — this is a tragedy. To take the joy of learning — which one can see in any child experimenting with something new — to take that joy and turn it into fear — that is something we should never do.
~EDWARD M. HALLOWELL, author of Driven to Distraction (Revised): Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder
WRITING
How to Create Dimensional Characters—Beyond the Wound & Into the Blind Spot, Kristen Lamb’s Blog | Tweet
Today, we’re going to explore an extension of the WOUND. The BLIND SPOT. There are no perfect personalities. All great character traits possess a blind spot. The loyal person is a wonderful friend, but can be naive and taken advantage of.
Writing Three Dimensional Characters (Writing Books that Count Book 1)
Dialog Writing 101: Conversational Mechanics, Live Write Thrive | Tweet
Dialog is special to me as a writer. Maybe it’s because we live in society saturated with sound—from music to movies, radio, and podcasts. Maybe it’s because I keep up a running conversation in my head at nearly all times of the day, discussing whatever I’m thinking about with invisible conversation partners.
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue: The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 43: Too Many Exclamation Points!, Helping Writers Become Authors | Tweet
Exclamation points are there to help us express our big emotions: excitement, joy, anger, passion. Naturally, we want all those big emotions in our stories, so why not use that wonderful ol’ exclamation point with liberality?
5 Lessons Learned From Writing 10 Fiction Books, The Creative Penn | Tweet
I finally feel like I have a bit of a clue about what I’m doing so here’s a reflection on lessons learned from writing 10 fiction books.
The Art of Writing a Story
SCREENWRITING
- Does one character ‘own’ each scene?, Go Into The Story | Tweet
Nothing worse than a scene where characters have no goals… and therefore there is no drama due to the lack of conflicting goals… and the scene just lies there flat as a proverbial pancake. Like what was the point of that?
Scene Secrets (Screenwriting Blue Books Book 11)
- ALT SCRIPT: 5 Things Screenwriters Can Learn From Banksy, Script Mag | Tweet
There are some people out there, you may be one of them, who are inspired by quotations. There are others out there, like me, who physically gag when someone trots out a platitude. So, there is a certain amount of irony involved in this article, simply because it is based on five quotes which are attributed to the street artist Banksy.
Wall and Piece
SELF-PUBLISHING
- 5 Horrible mistakes selfpublished authors make, Services4authors | Tweet
Self publishing is a golden opportunity. For the first time in history authors can reach readers without going through the traditional publishing system. But many self published authors are making horrible, beginner-type-mistakes, which will cripple their book sales.
Ditch the Publisher: 40 Indie Authors on Their Unique Self-Publishing Journeys
Tricks and Traps of Using Real People in Your Writing, Part 1: The Right of Publicity, The Book Designer | Tweet
Writers worry about using real people in their writing. Fiction writers fear someone will see themselves in their villains. Memoirists and nonfiction writers identify people by name. Can writers model characters after real people and name names without getting sued?
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
If your work depends on finding undisturbed time for deep focus and creative thinking, you know all about the modern curse of distraction.
Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive
FOOD
When it comes to fats and oils, we are spoiled for choice. Supermarket shelves are heaving with every conceivable option. But these days it is extremely confusing because there is so much debate about the benefits and harm that come from consuming different types of fats.
SCIENCE
- Is the kiss a universal human gesture?, EurekAlert | Tweet
For generations, passionate kisses immortalized in movies, songs and the arts have served as a thermometer of romantic affection. But current research has found that not only is romantic kissing not the norm in most cultures, some find it uncomfortable and even flat-out repulsive.
RUNNING
Many runners may be wearing the wrong shoes for their particular stride or the right shoes that were chosen for the wrong reasons, according to a new scientific review about running shoes and injury risks.
Be a Runner: 7 tips for choosing a running shoe
PSYCHOLOGY
- Do Chinese people lead more nuanced emotional lives?, Priceonomics | Tweet
Everybody wants to feel as good as possible, and avoid negative feelings as much as possible — right? Wrong.
Emotional Mastery: Take Control of Your Emotions For a Happy Successful Life