The Potato Chip Test

Do you keep tempting people to read one more page?

I hadn’t plan to listen to the music festival’s next band. It was about supper time, and I needed to catch a bite before the following group played.

My expectations for the Ellis Island Boys weren’t high, but I decided I’d hear … Continue reading

Baby Your First Draft

Like an infant, a manuscript needs further work.

Five months after my newest granddaughter was born, her parents continue to nurture her. Though she’s recently learned to roll over and is working on sitting, Mom and Dad know she has further potential—as do their three-year-old and almost seven-year-old.

That’s not to say … Continue reading

Three Tasks for Scene Openings

Do your first lines make these essentials clear?

I thought I knew the way. But heading from the unfamiliar location, I took a wrong turn. What I saw didn’t align with what I’d assumed. My only recourse was to go back, check things more carefully, and start afresh.

I’ve experienced … Continue reading