The written word holds a power both bewitching and dread. The right words can topple kingdoms, grant immortality—even change the course of the world. Join me in The Laboratory as I delve into the foundations and principles of writing, from developing ideas and crafting an authorial voice to caring for yourself and building your community as a writer. New episodes are released every other Wednesday. Pull up a chair and settle in amongst the bubbling brews and frothing phials of the writer’s craft.
Is that My Voice? How to Tell if Your Writing Is Flat
Is a piece of writing interesting? Does it have depth? These are issues that can be especially tricky for writers to spot in their own work, but there are tools to rely on.
In this episode, I’ll go over how to put your writing to the test, exercises to start understanding your own unique style, common features of unengaging writing and the importance of clarity in a narrative. Tune in to learn more!
Diction: The Spice of the Narrative Voice
Word choices and how we use words make up the finest grain of detail we can control in our writing. But those details can have big consequences for how our writing comes across to readers. Tune in to learn how to avoid common diction-related pitfalls in writing.
When to Tell & Not Show
Someone mentioned to me the other day that there was a healthy debate going on in their writing group between showing versus telling as a narrative approach. To writers who have heard the refrain “show, don’t tell,” throughout their careers, this might be a bit of a shock. It would seem that not all are in agreement about what is often considered a writing standard.
How to Write Engaging Dialogue
Wondering how to create electrifying dialogue that catches your reader’s attention or conveys emotion in a scene? Let’s talk about it.
Passive & Active Voice
Why is it that people laud active voice while passive voice is derided? Is it a rule or preference to favour one over the other? To put it simply, if there wasn’t a use for a particular style, it wouldn’t exist, so let’s examine these more closely.
How to Write Captivating Sentences
A writer might be describing the best thing since sliced bread, but if their sentences are dull, readers aren’t likely to stay engaged. The way the words sit on the page and on the tips of our tongue can enchant a reader.
Though some kinds of writing are meant to be perfunctory, there is room for art in many instances.
Evoking Setting & Mood
Atmosphere can make or break the immersion that writers strive to achieve, both in fiction and nonfiction. Let’s learn how to craft an effective one in this week’s blog.
Writing Fundamentals: Know Thyself; Know Thine Audience
This week’s topic is style, the elusive face of writing.