A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

I had a week of chaos as my mom went in the hospital, family stress, my son got a job, and life is looking up for us with all things resolved. Or at least, on the road to being so.

Three Links 7/31/2020

Loleta Abi

Writing:

1. https://annerallen.com/2020/07/what-to-write-when-you-cant-write-what-you-know/ “One of the primo, Number One “rules” for writers is write what you know.

Writing what you know is generally excellent advice for writers who are in the early stages of their careers. Knowing your setting — whether it’s geographical, professional,  familial, is one less issue you’ll have to face when you’re still not yet completely comfortable with fiction’s basic craft elements — narrative, backstory, plot, dialogue, character.

But—

What if you can’t — or don’t want to — write what you know?

Because —

• If you do, you’ll lose your job.” Writing what you WANT to know about is a good thing to do. Learn about the topic you’re researching.

2. https://stevelaube.com/a-world-of-similitudes/ “Please indulge my ponderings today. I was recently reading a novel where the author* was describing the dream-state of the main character. As part of his musings, the phrase “a world of similitudes” was used.

I had to stop reading for a minute; think about that phrase; and ask the question, “Is this what we are all experiencing today? A world of similitudes?”

To understand, let’s first define a similitude. Webster’s Dictionary is helpful here with various shades of meaning. 1a – counterpart, double. 1b – a visible likeness: image. 2 – an imaginative comparison: simile. 3a – correspondence in kind or quality. 3b – a point of comparison.

Are we experiencing a sort of mirror image of what life was like, is like, or should be like? “An imaginative comparison?” Curious.

3. https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2019/08/5-keys-to-satisfying-denouement.html “Often as writers, we put a lot of our focus on the starting, climax, and middle of a story, and the denouement or falling action may be somewhat of an afterthought. If you grew up like me, you were kind of taught that the denouement should just be a quick wrap-up that can end the story, and you weren’t given much direction on how to do that in a satisfying way. But when crafted well, the denouement can sometimes feel like the most powerful part of a story–not because it has heightened tension and conflict, like the rest of the novel probably has, but precisely because it’s the emotional release of all that.

Here are some things to keep in mind when working with denouements.” The ending sells the next book. Do it well.

Research & Fun Bits:

1. https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/misconceptions-about-being-a-writer/ “Like any good story, the writing life is a tale of deceptive depth. At first glance, it offers up a shiny, artsy, fun cover. Become a Writer! its title beckons, and its first chapters lure us in by fulfilling all these initial promises. But the deeper we get, the further we go, the more we realize there’s more to this story than meets the eye. There’s more adventure, more conflict, more drama, and more comedy than we could ever have realized. In short, there are many different misconceptions about being a writer.”

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Some Things More Serious:

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Teaser Fiction & Poetry:

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Book Reviews, Cover Reveals, & Author Interviews:

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