by Margie Lawson Don’t give readers a reason to take a mini-vacation from your page. That’s what happens when readers come across clichéd phrases or sentences they’ve read before. They know what’s coming. Their brain takes a break from your story. And for that fraction of a second they are sucked into the muck of […]

by Margie Lawson   How well do you read body language? How well do you share subtext on the page? Take this quick quiz, then enjoy the examples of writing fresh faces and voices below the quiz. STOP!   Did you take the quiz?  If not – TAKE THE QUIZ NOW! Ready for the answers? TRUE […]

by Margie Lawson I confess. I’m in love with the way some authors slip in backstory. I’m not talking chunks of backstory that sit on your page like cement blocks. The kind of blah blah blah that invites readers to skim. I’m talking about little hits of backstory. Those smooth keep-your-story-moving backstory slip-ins. What is […]

Margie Lawson Hello Everyone! I’ll SHOW then TELL: “Goodbye LA, G'day Australia.” She wiggled her hips and Beyoncéd into the hall. That fun example was written by multi-Immersion grad Elaine Fraser.   Now I’ll TELL: Allusion is a rhetorical device. It’s a quick reference to a famous person or event that includes the trait. BEWARE: Allusion […]

Margie Lawson Are you in control of your life? Or do you let life control you? You may have expected a blog on writing craft from me. But this time, I decided to use my psychological expertise to help you take charge of your writing life. Many people let the negatives control their lives. They […]