Tips & Answers to Qs

Poetry

Prose, not poetry, fills the pages of romance novels, but good prose can be poetry.

Many say poetry is all about imagery, rhythm and rhyme

as if poetry alone owns that stage.

Not true.

Good prose, where the author shows not tells,

is a beautiful construction of the imagery of emotion.

“He scowled as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear,

his expression discordant with the gentle motion of his thick fingers.”

Try an exercise.

For every tell

“Her feelings were all over the place.”

create imagery of the emotion you want to communicate.

Channel your inner Amanda Gorman.

From the Editor's Desk

Calm

Yep, we’re one month shy of a year of living in an altered reality. For many of us, it hasn’t been a bed of roses. With all the new burdens foisted upon us, and the weather completely not cooperating, falling and staying asleep has been elusive. We all know, it’s not good for our health and well-being to be sleep deprived. Some of us have liquid assistance, others medicate in alternate ways. The entrepreneurial folks in Silicon Valley created an app for the malaise. Though launched in 2012, no doubt, this past year has seen an uptick in downloads and usage.

One person was waxing poetic about “The Nordland Night Train” read by Erik Braa. (youtube.com/watch?v=JcrcXtjRTTE) Another couldn’t stop talking about Stephen Fry reading “Blue Gold.” (youtube.com/watch?v=5mGifCwig8I)

Here’s a better idea. Well, it’s stolen from college coeds back when land-lines were the only phones, and they wanted to “go to bed” with their beloveds who were at different schools. They’d talk until one of them fell asleep, and they kept the line open, the receiver tucked under their pillows, so when they woke, they could say “good morning” as if they’d spent the night together. Ah, romance.

Start an authors’ nightly reading circle. A half hour or so before bedtime, take turns reading from your books. Each night, a different person will read to the members of the circle until they drift off to sleep. A recommendation: If you write horror, don’t read those stories. Find a more soothing substitute.

If you’re willing, read your WIP. Bet you’ll find all sorts of places in need of fixing, and you’ll develop a critique group. Friend time with benefits. A great second-best way to hang with your author cohorts before entering dreamland.