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Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, picture books or erotica, religious or super-natural books, the one thing they all have in common is STORY.   Even a non-fiction book needs to tell a STORY.   If it doesn't tell a story, then it falls into the boring, only going to be read as a requirement, academic text book category. Sometimes writers get so caught up in telling the story that we lose sight of what STORY is really about. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines STORY as: 1.       archaic a: history; to narrate or describe in story 2 :   an account of incidents or events b :   a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question c :   anecdote ; especially :   an amusing one 3. :   a fictional narrative shorter than a novel; specifically :   short story b :   the intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work 4:   a widely circulated rumor 5: ...

I'm not a big fan of flashbacks. Personally I prefer a story that starts somewhere in the middle of the action and barrels down the track, to the photo finish end, in a nice zig-zaging, uphill, forwardly moving procession. Be frugal with flashbacks and back-story.   If you're using a lot of flash backs in your story, consider that you may actually have two independent stories. Maybe the story you are trying to write needs a prequel instead of a lot of back-story in the current work. Try pulling all your flashbacks out and see if you can tell the current story without them. If you can leave something out and still tell a coherent story, then you didn't need it in the story in the first place. However I'll admit that flashbacks can enhance some stories. Before using a flashback please research the good, the bad, and the nightmarish. There are a lot of good examples and references out there. Please read several. Here's a good place to start: ht...

There is an article online about a man getting enraged when he discovered a 78 year old beggar driving away in a new car after accepting his donations. He was angry his hard earned money benefited someone driving a nicer car than he could afford. He complained he could have used that money to put gasoline in his own car to get him to work. (Like he had to walk to work because he gave away his gas money). It’s easy to understand his frustration. We all work hard for our money. No one wants to see someone else spending their hard earned money on something they could never afford to purchase for themselves. No one wants to give anything to someone that doesn’t really need it. On the other hand, panhandling is hard work. Those poor people suffer 100 plus degrees standing outside in the heat all summer. They endure long, cold, wet winters collecting only a few dollars an hour. They swallow their pride and sell their dignity for unreliable income. They are dependent upon the ki...

For those who didn't even notice I was gone, I'm back. My husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer last February and passed away four months later June 21, 2013. I soldiered on the first few months fulfilling speaking engagements and attending conferences and conventions that were already on my schedule before crashing into the black oblivion of widowhood. The last few months I've wallowed in my grief. My mourning period is not yet over  but at least I've finally reached the point where I have accepted that it isn't necessary for me to roll over and die just because he did. Believe me the thought did cross my mind. I'm still bitter and have abandonment issues. When I realized I hadn't written anything or updated my own website or the Norman Galaxy website in over six months I also realized it is time to start breathing again. Yes, there is life after death. Life goes on for those our loved ones leave behind. So I'm crawling out from under...

Miss D and I had a wonderful time at Killer Nashville . I guarantee we'll be back. Miss Dion and D. P. Lyle D. P. Lyle  is an amazing speaker. He's humorous and very educational. He certainly knows how to tell a story. I'm now one of his newest fans, but I know he earned several new fans this weekend. Anne Perry 's melodious voice and entertaining sense of humor made it a joy to listen to her talk about writing three books a year. I so wanna be like Anne. Anne Perry Deni Dietz  voiced an interest in seeing both mine and Miss Dion's manuscripts. We've been doing happy dances all weekend. But I suspect Miss D may be using some creative body disposal methods we learned this weekend. She's threatening to stock up on meat tenderizer in the event that I get a book deal first. Deni Dietz We're heading home tomorrow with a lot of new ideas and inspiration. But first we did a little sight seeing in Nashville.      

Great Norman Galaxy of Writers ' meeting this morning.  Contest winners read their winning entries. Wow. Some of the stories blew me away; Especially, Katherine West's Short Story— "A Good Hand" filled with enough dark humor even I had to laugh aloud during the death scene.  Shelley Anne Richter's   Nonfiction Article— “Saddle Dwellers” taught me a few things I didn't know about cowboys. I grew up around rodeo stars –my dad was one of them. He was a calf roper and bulldogger. When he wasn't riding in the rodeo he was breaking horses for other people. We always had horses and I learned to ride –Western style- before I learned to walk. I have a friend that rides –English style- and trust me it's an entirely different type of horseback riding.  I thought I grew up as a cowgirl but Shelly's historical view of the real American cowboy tarnished my previously glamorous image of the olden day cowpoke and enlightened me to the harsh re...

Anyone in the OK area, who is interested in being an author, should try to take one of William Bernhardt's writing seminars . He's an amazing instructor. Next Seminar will be held June 9-13 , 2013 in OKC.