Do your first lines establish these three, key points?
Because I was unfamiliar with the surroundings, I took a wrong turn. My only recourse was to go back, check things more carefully, and start afresh.
That’s disconcerting if you’re driving a car, but also while reading a novel — finding yourself lost as you try to negotiate a new scene.
Besides keeping … Continue reading
Cliffhangers still work.
The copy of The Warsaw Protocol by Steve Berry that my wife brought me from the library was labeled Rapid Read. Instead of three weeks, I’d have to complete the 384-page novel in just one.
That wasn’t a problem. Berry had used time-honored techniques to keep readers engaged. First, he used multiple point-of-view characters, alternating between their perspectives — with one … Continue reading
Learn from others as you develop your own.
An antique car mechanic just gave me a lesson in powerful writing.
I’d asked him to check the 1930 Model A Ford because something was wrong with the engine. Otherwise, I thought, the car was just fine. After some engine … Continue reading