The Author Guy Blog by Larry B. Gildersleeve (Feb 25, 2025)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Larry-comic-at-the-desk-writing-724x1024.jpg


25th February 2025

Hello out there,

Welcome back. My life as a writer and novelist is truly a journey, not a destination, and I have so much to learn and will continue learning as long as I metaphorically put pen to paper. I was a broadcast journalism (radio and television) major for my undergraduate degree, but I’ve had no formal training as a writer or novelist. I do attend an occasional writer’s conference (they’re fewer opportunities since Covid) and listen to as many novelist speak in public as possible. I take notes, either mental or written, and then transcribe them into a Word document I’ve labeled Write Right. It’s my self-created, ever-evolving MFA (Master of Fine Arts) syllabus.

I also have a robust, self-explanatory Word file labeled Words and Phrases to which I refer to constantly when I write, especially to provide more vivid narrative and avoid descriptive repetitions of such things as facial expressions, eye movements and body language. In both books and magazines (my favorite is Garden & Gun because of the wonderful prose of its writers), I seek descriptive sentences or phrases I can adapt in my writing. Here’s an example. I don’t recall the name of the country music song from  many decades ago, but I do remember these words: “I just cut myself on a piece of her broken heart.” I have yet to find a place for those evocative words in my writing, but rest assured I will.

If you have such phrases that have resonated in your life such that you’ve remembered them, I would greatly appreciate you sharing.

Until next week … Vaya con Dios


Larry B. Gildersleeve

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Author Guy Blog by Larry B. Gildersleeve (Dec 4, 2024)

The Author Guy Blog by Larry B. Gildersleeve

The Author Guy blog by Larry B. Gildersleeve