One of the biggest problems facing new writers is description. How much should you do and how do you do it? You may think you need to describe everything in […]
JES Hays
JES Hays is the author of the Devon Day and the Sweetwater Kid stories: Down the Owlhoot Trail and the upcoming Outlaw Security.
Point of View for Dummies
One of the easy ways to slip up we see in our critique group is the point of view. Staying in the same POV is often difficult, especially for novice […]
What I’m Reading Susan Boyer
I’ve recently “discovered” a cute cozy mystery series by a local author. I haven’t actually met Susan, but I like a good Southern mystery, even though I usually prefer harder […]
10,000 Hours of Practice
You may have heard the theory that, in order to become really good at any skill, you need to invest 10,000 hours in it. This holds true for writing as […]
Chapter Length: Is Bigger Really Better?
I get this question a lot in my critique groups. How long are my chapters supposed to be? In the Good Ol’ Days, back when readers appreciated a nice turn […]
What I’m Watching: Columbo
I’ve found a TV station that shows old mystery series (like Murder, She Wrote, Mannix, Perry Mason, etc.) and have been binge watching Columbo episodes. Peter Falk’s rumpled, cigar-smoking detective […]
What I’m Reading: Thursday Murder Club
Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club is that “now for something completely different” you’ve always heard about. In this book – and the second, which I’ve just started – the sleuths […]
What I’m Reading: Scottish Mysteries
I’ve been reading the Inspector Torquil McKinnon mystery series by my friend Keith Moray recently. In this very Scottish mystery series, the Inspector, who happens to be the bagpipe-playing nephew […]
Point of View Revisited
I had a question about POV (point of view) at my recent talk, so I thought I’d revisit the subject today. There are three basic points of view: first person, […]
Behind-The-Scenes Talk: The Cascades
I had my “Behind The Scenes” talk today and it did seem to go well. People looked interested and asked decent questions (one lady asked how much research is enough!). […]