By Henry McLaughlin One given in the writing world is we will get discouraged. An area where I’ve been discouraged is when a story doesn’t work. My fingers are like stones on the keyboard. What seemed like a great story idea flickers like a dying fire. The plot is what my Italian friends call a frittata. The characters are flat …
Traits of a Successful Critique Group
By Henry McLaughlin I’m sure we’ve all participated in or heard stories about horrible experiences with critique groups. I’ve had a few myself. Unfortunately, I may have contributed to some of them. To any writers I did this to, I apologize. I’ve been writing seriously for over ten years. During this time, I’ve participated in many critique groups, both on …
Quills of a Feather Should Flock Together
by Ane Mulligan I’m having dinner in a restaurant with the hubs and friends, when a snippet of a conversation at the table behind me catches my attention. Tuning out my friends’ chatter, I lean back in my seat to get closer. A female voice hints at panic. “I left my camera in the taxi.” It sparks a “what if” …