The Writing Room

The story writing experts suggest that writers 'show' and not 'tell' in their writing. What does it mean to 'show' and not 'tell'? 'Showing' in story writing means that the writer writes in such a way to invite the reader into the story. It means that the writer creates scenes and organises the scenes in such a way to stimulate the senses of the reader. The reader should be able to see, hear, taste, feel and smell as a result of the words you use to tell your story. You show the reader what is happening by including the following in your story: action, appropriate details, dialogue, reflection, a beginning and an end. There is nothing wrong with doing some telling in writing your story but you should try to 'show' much more than you 'tell'. Here is a a very short story for you. To what extent does the writer 'tell' vs 'show'?  Enjoy.

How do you write the story that you want to write? Good question!  The simple answer is to experiment with your writing. When you choose to write stories, you have several points of views from which to do so. Do you think that your story would be best written in the first person, second person or third person? Why not have fun with your story? Write the same story using different points of view, then decide which works for you. Probably you'll discover that they all work quite well. Share the one you prefer or all of them with your readers for their enjoyment and to get feedback. Feedback on your work is always useful because it gives you a sense of what could be improved in your story and how your story resonates with your readers. Remember to show not tell ! I wrote the following very short story from three points of view. Here, I am sharing one version with you. Imagine the other versions. Enjoy. Remember,  inspiration for your stories is all around you . Go ou

Stories are everywhere. At this minute one is playing out right in front of you. You just need to capture it in words and share it using any of the conventions of story writing . Here is one of my very short stories that I created after listening to a conversation between two women. 

If you are looking for tips to get your self-published book to readers, here are six tips about writing, editing and marketing your book. Writing is a journey. If you have taken this journey you will have discovered that the road on which you are travelling is not smooth and that you have embarked on an uphill journey, following a path with its twists and turns. In addition, you will have discovered that you have to always step over or climb over, or go around a number of obstacles in your way. But having successfully negotiated all the twists and turns and cleared all the obstacles in your way, you finally have reached a height of excitement and achievement in which you have gloried for a while. Your manuscript is the achievement for which you toiled and its completion is exciting. But you'll soon realize that there are many more steps that you have to take to claim to have had a successful journey.  Tip 1: Go where the story leads you You're never quite sure what

I'm fascinated by cultures, the ways of life of groups of people who showcase their identities by what they say and do - the way they practice life. I'm fascinated by cultures because I believe that within them lie keys that open doors to human understanding, our understanding of each other's hopes, dreams and motivation. I believe that if we truly make it our business to learn about the cultures of people who differ from us in so many ways, and if we truly try to understand the custodians of these cultures, we will begin to break down the walls of misunderstanding which sometimes lead to conflict among us. Pie in the sky? Probably. But, I continue to hold on to this belief which simply put is: Learning about cultures fosters understanding, strengthens communication and reduces conflict among people . One way to begin this process, I think, is by reading because reading allows us to vicariously travel the world, mingle with people whose way of life is totally diff

                You are here because you want to learn how to create memorable characters as  some of your favourite writers have done.  It is not as difficult as you think.  By the time you finish reading this post, you will be well on your way to create your characters that readers will remember decades later - every writer's hope. Look at yourself and the people around you. You are all actors on this stage called life, according to William Shakespeare   - characters really.  In writing your characters you need to capture the essence of yourself and the people around you in your writing - quirks and all. If you manage to do this, you will have created an authentic character that will stimulate the imagination of readers. Characters The writer is an artist who uses the tools that she possesses - words, general knowledge of the writing process and her experiences in creative ways to craft stories that tug at the emotions of readers in specific ways. These stories may be fi

Why do I write? This is a question to which authors/writers have had to find an answer because either their curious fans or interested others have wanted to understand their motivation for writing. Whenever someone poses this question, the answers are swift in coming from some authors/writers.  We hear responses like the following: I write because I have to. There is something in me that forces me to write. I write because writing is therapeutic. It's a way to help me deal with my demons (Okay, I came up with the "demons" part. I'm not sure anybody actually says this, but probably somebody does). But some writers believe that the process of writing helps them to deal with the challenges of their lives. I write because I have a story to tell. I write because writing is my passion.  I write because I want to make money... We all have our reasons for writing. Some of us do not hesitate when someone asks us to articulate o

All advice about the process of writing is important. However, aspiring writers should not get hung up on the bits of advice that the experts - those who have had some success in writing - from time to time, toss out to the curious, probably excessively "fan girling" or "fan boying" interviewer. These successful writers were once aspiring writers. They wrote and wrote and wrote because they believed that they had stories to tell. Some of them pitched their work over and over to publishers, and were rejected over and over and over, until finally they reaped success. This success may have come by being published by a traditional publishing company or being self published. What all these successful authors have all had in common are some positive attitudes: Perseverance. That is, faith in their abilities to write and translating their faith into action Willingness to expend the necessary effort to realise their dream; willingness to make sacrifices to

Ernest J.  Gaines, African American writer, shares his wisdom from his more than 50 years of experience writing novels and short stories. He's presented us with his "golden rules" for writing.  Read more about Ernest J. Gaines  here .  He's presented us with his "golden rules" for writing. So, let's apply them! Before you go, spend a few minutes to browse the blog and do subscribe to get posts as soon as they are published.   A bout the Author J anette B. Fuller is a teacher and author of  three  books. Her business is to write stories set in the place she knows best – Jamaica – while also helping writers to write their own stories. When you are ready to write your story, make contact with her @ writingwisdomtree@gmail.com.  Check out her books  here . 

Pointed words from E. L. Doctorow! Named after the famous American writer Edgar Allan Poe, E. L. Doctorow, (Edgar Lawrence Doctorow), has followed in this footsteps of his famed compatriot. His writing has spanned the gamut of writing - novels, short stories, essays, plays... and he has won wide acclaim for his work which is evidenced by the number of awards that he has won throughout his writing career, a career that still continues today. So, he knows a thing or two about writing. Listen to him! He's "put his money where his mouth is" so to speak. You may learn more about this writer  here . As an author at the bottom rung of the writing ladder,  I'm impressed by Doctorow's body of work and its obvious quality, and hope that I, too, will add quality work to the libraries of wonderful works to be enjoyed for generations to come. As such, I've made my first  contribution  to these vast libraries, a work that is yet to be discovered by many,