WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: Ready, Set, Write!
By Barbara Neal Varma // I credit my father for teaching me the 15 Minutes Game. Eager to curb my enthusiasm for the long calls I’d have with my gal Continue reading
Category: Inspiration
THE WRITING WORKSHOP: How to Write Good Dialogue
By Andrea Lewis // Steve Martin, actor and writer, confesses in his Masterclass that for the longest time, he found it difficult to write dialogue. However, after much practice, he Continue reading
WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: Desperately Seeking Likes, Laughs, and Loves
By Barbara Neal Varma // Donny Osmond ruined me—or at least my story about crushing on him did. Couple of years ago, my “Desperately Seeking Donny” article went semiviral after Continue reading
WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: Deadlines as Foreplay
By Barbara Neal Varma // I missed doing this column last month because I was on deadline for another writing gig. Several, actually; due dates suddenly popping up like pimples Continue reading
THE WRITING WORKSHOP: Where to Start the Story
By Andrea Lewis // When opening a book/short story/narrative, we put a lot of thought into the first pages, doing our best to capture the attention of our readers. Beyond Continue reading
THE WRITING WORKSHOP: The Zoom Baby: A Book Born, Developed, and Published Entirely Over Online Meetings
By Andrea Lewis // When a group of writers put their minds and might into a project, it will come to life: The Lake Forest Writers’ Roundtable, which has been Continue reading
WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: Writing: It’s Location, Location, Location
By Barbara Neal Varma // Me: “Heading into work.” Hubby: “Have a good day.” Me: “You, too!” And with that I begin my morning commute: walking from our shared home Continue reading
THE WRITING WORKSHOP: Suspense and How to Build It in Your Stories
By Andrea Lewis // Ask any avid reader what keeps them reading and finishing a book, and the answer is invariably suspense. Whether mystery, horror, romance, comedy, or memoir (yes, Continue reading
WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: There’s No Crying in Baseball—Or Writing
By Barbara Neal Varma // After retirement last year, I thought, okay, this is it. Time to get in “the show” as they say in baseball and land a story Continue reading
THE WRITING WORKSHOP: The Importance of Research for Writers
By Andrea Lewis // When I started writing my memoir, I thought I would write from memory, things that I remembered about meeting my husband and moving to the Continue reading