Writing.Com Newsletter Archives: mathguy

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Writing.Com Newsletters Edited by Max Griffin 🏳️‍🌈


#12801:	For Authors	October 23, 2024
Beginnings Writing is easy. Writing well is hard. Writing the beginning is even harder. What's the most compelling opening sentence you've ever read in a novel?

#12754:	For Authors	September 25, 2024
Surmounting the Allure of Info-Dumps What is an info-dump? Why is it both tempting and bad? How do you get the stuff in an info-dump into a story? What is your favorite technique for getting character descriptions into your story?

#12707:	For Authors	August 28, 2024
What Does Story Want? I'm must a mathguy who writes stories. All I've got offer is what works for me. I it's useful, or at least diverting. If you asked Story what it wanted, what do you think it would say?

#12662:	For Authors	July 31, 2024
Generative AI, Copyright, and Plagiarism This newsletter discusses the interplay between legal issues, ethics, and the use of generative AI in postings on WDC. How do you think generative AI will change the craft of writing fiction?

#12393:	For Authors	February 07, 2024
How Novels Changed the World Novels encourage readers to imagine how others think and feel. They increase empathy, and change lives. Do you think your writing can change the world? Do you want your writing to change the world?

#12356:	For Authors	January 10, 2024
Everyone's a Hero Is your life a hero's journey? What's the story of your life?

#12310:	For Authors	December 13, 2023
The Tale of the Persnickety Aunt Characters do the strangest things. That's what makes them characters. How do you generate and release tension in a story? What is tension, anyway?

#12270:	For Authors	November 15, 2023
Sousa's Lament Does technological change spell doom or opportunity for fiction authors, or is change just inevitable? Does technological change mmake things better or worse?

#12222:	For Authors	October 18, 2023
Ghost Stories Do you believe in Ghosts? Tell us your ghost story.

#12179:	For Authors	September 20, 2023
Whodunnit? how you show who did what can reinforce and solidify point of view. The words you use to do this matter. How does point of view differ between cinema, theatre, and written fiction?

#12134:	For Authors	August 23, 2023
Strolling Through Genres Surveying a variety of genres Genre, genre, who's got the genre?

#12084:	For Authors	July 26, 2023
Characters and Plots and Themes, Oh my! What is a theme and how to you connect it to your story? Do you have a favorite theme?

#12037:	For Authors	June 28, 2023
From the Other Side What happens after you send your story to an acquisitions editor? Does a rejection from a publisher mean your story is bad?

#11986:	For Authors	May 31, 2023
The Manichean Fallacy Tools for constructing credible characters Are your characters pure types or hybrids?

#11936:	For Authors	May 03, 2023
No Book Is an Island The role of metatext in fiction What is metatext, anyway?

#11888:	For Authors	April 05, 2023
The Allegory of the Cave What is reality anyway, and how does it relate to fiction? Is fiction real or just imagination run wild?

#11844:	For Authors	March 08, 2023
Time, realism, and surrealism Musings on time, dreams, and reality When is realism surreal?

#11793:	For Authors	February 08, 2023
A Grammarian's Panegyric Part 3 Verbs give power and energy to sentences. Understanding their nuances is critical to effective writing. What's the difference between the present and the fictional present?

#11747:	For Authors	January 11, 2023
A Grammarian's Panegyric Part 2 Grammar and the mood of a verb Who knew verbs have moods, just like people?

#11697:	For Authors	December 14, 2022
A Grammarian's Panegyric Passive voice and point of view Is it okay to boldly go where no one has gone before?

#11657:	For Authors	November 16, 2022
It's Axiomatic My journey from mathematician to fiction author Does fiction have axioms, like mathematics?

#11616:	For Authors	October 19, 2022
Snark The hashtag snark is common in twitterature, but it's widespread in other forms of discourse, including literature. Who is your favorite snarky character in fiction?

#11563:	For Authors	September 21, 2022
To Trope Or Not To Trope What is a trope and why use them? What's your favorite trope?

#11521:	For Authors	August 24, 2022
It Takes a Detective Some comments on detective fiction Why is the detective story such an enduring form?

#11473:	For Authors	July 27, 2022
Like, Totally! English dialects and writing Every English speaker uses a dialect. Which one is yours?

#11432:	For Authors	June 29, 2022
Words Matter Not all words are equal. Choose active over passive, specific over vague, showing over telling. Which words do you over-use?

#11380:	For Authors	June 01, 2022
Don't Touch the Phlebotinum Sometimes hand-waving can explain the unexplainable. What's your favorite example of hand-waving in fiction?

#11337:	For Authors	May 04, 2022
Planning Scenes Some essential questions to consider before writing a scene. What's your favorite opening line in a novel or short story?

#11293:	For Authors	April 06, 2022
Waiting for What? Character Arcs When is an arc flat?

#11246:	For Authors	March 09, 2022
What Was HeThinking? How do you show the internal thoughts of your point-of-view character? Reports? Italics? There's another way. What characters are thinking can be critical, but how to you show it without telling?

#11200:	For Authors	February 09, 2022
What's in a Name? Dos and Donts for Names What's your favorite character name from fiction or cinema?

#11162:	For Authors	January 12, 2022
One, er, Seven Plots to Rule Them All How many different plots are there, really? Do you plot first, or create characters first?

#11115:	For Authors	December 15, 2021
Describing Characters Describing Characters without interrupting the story What to leave out, what to leave in?

#11074:	For Authors	November 17, 2021
Writing What Readers Don't Skip Info-dumps kill stories. Setting is important, but how do you describe the setting without an info-dump? How can you avoid using info-dumps when setting a scene?

#11030:	For Authors	October 20, 2021
Meanings In Fiction Different levels of meaning in fiction Does a story have to be true to be real?

#10982:	For Authors	September 22, 2021
Patterns Patterns, even when subliminal, enhance reader experience. Why is it a "rule of three" instead of a "rule of seven" or some other number?

#10939:	For Authors	August 25, 2021
Writers' Writing Rules Famous authors give advice on writing. What does your favorite author say about how to write?

#10893:	For Authors	July 28, 2021
Easter Eggs Some fun Easter Eggs in popular media What's your favorite Easter Egg?

#10849:	For Authors	June 30, 2021
Aha, She Thought... Direct Discourse, Indirect Discourse, and Free Indirect Discourse Who is your favorite Mondernist author?

#10791:	For Authors	June 02, 2021
Making Scents Adding scents adds intimacy Does your fiction smell?

#10741:	For Authors	May 05, 2021
Craft or Art? Writing effective fiction involves both artistic creativity and mastery of craft. Is effective fiction a product of craft or art?

#10695:	For Authors	April 07, 2021
Annoying Writing Tasks Writing the Synopsis, teaser, and blurb I can write a novel, so why is writing a synopsis so blamed hard?

#10627:	For Authors	March 10, 2021
Brush Up Your Tense When does the action in your story happen? What's the past perfect of "beware?" Hint: it's a trick question.

#10601:	For Authors	February 10, 2021
Sense or Nonsense How can a sentence be both true and literal nonsense? Does it matter if the youthful Washington really said, "I cannot tell a lie"?

#10553:	For Authors	January 13, 2021
The Phatic Maxim Some conversations convey information; phatic conversation is information-free and serves to lubricate social exchange. When characters speak, does what they say have a fictional purpose other than conveying information?

#10510:	For Authors	December 16, 2020
The Units of Fiction Understanding Scenes, Chapters, and Scene/Sequel Pairs. What are the units of effective fiction?

#10467:	For Authors	November 18, 2020
Writing Groups What I've learned about Writing Groups If you've got talent, why join a writing group?

#10422:	For Authors	October 21, 2020
Anticipation The role of anticipation, suspense, and conflict in creating tension in fiction. What's your favorite example of suspense in a novel?

#10374:	For Authors	September 23, 2020
Movies and Fiction Writing What Can We Learn from Watching Movies? What's the difference between watching a movie and reading a story?

#10335:	For Authors	August 26, 2020
First Words Three simple rules for more effective opening paragraphs. How do you make readers want to read the rest of your story?

#10288:	For Authors	July 29, 2020
Folklore Folktales can inspire stories of all types. Using elements of folktales can help stories resonate with readers. What's your favorite story that's based on a folktale?

#10243:	For Authors	July 01, 2020
One Plot to Rule Them All The three-act structure is powerful, pervasive, and easy to apply once you understand it. What's the three act structure anyway? How can I use it to make my stories more powerful?

#10199:	For Authors	June 03, 2020
How To Write A Novel You don't write your novel, you discover it. Do you have a process for writing? Do you stick with it, or adjust it to your work in progress?

#10154:	For Authors	May 06, 2020
Characters Some techniques to make your characters more compelling What makes a compelling character?

#10105:	For Authors	April 08, 2020
First Sentences and Author Voice The author's voice is the most important feature of an effective opening. What makes a compelling opening sentence?

#10036:	For Authors	March 11, 2020
His, Hers, and Theirs The Singular They What strategies can you use to avoid revealing a character's gender?

#9269:	Mystery	January 02, 2019
Mystery or Suspense The difference between mystery and suspense. Hitchcock said that "mystery" and "suspense" were "miles apart." What do you think?

Total 57 newsletters found.

For newsletters before June 2005, please see: "Writing.Com Newsletter Archives"

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