Ask an author why they write and you’ll get some variation of “to tell a story.” For most of us it started with the wonder of leafing through books picked up at a library or bookstore. We fantasize about the weight of a book in our hands, our name on the cover, picture on the […]

Sometimes the most powerful description does not mention the emotion itself. The author trusts that the reader will get it. It’s like a scary movie; your mind conjures scarier things than the cameraman could ever show you. Try this in a black moment, or a key turning-point scene. It’s subtle, and can be powerful.

By Laura Drake Sorry to have been absent awhile; I was finishing my last book under contract. Now, before I jump into the next one, I’ve vowed to take a break.  Not from writing – If I’m breathing, I’m writing. I’m taking a break from writing what I’m committed to. I’m stepping onto the wild […]

It’s your first sentence. The opening line to your masterpiece. The words that will grab your reader and pull him into your world. They. Have. To. Be. Perfect. No pressure. We’re not here to give you a lesson in writing the opening hook. But it is May 1st and we thought that was the perfect […]

It's been awhile but, sparing precious time away from her new granddaughter, Margie Lawson is back with us at Writers in the Storm. Laura Drake and Fae Rowen can testify to Margie's talents as a writing teacher. Here's another great lesson. Oh, as you read, you'll see that Margie is donating a course to one […]