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Category Archives: My posts
Feeling the heartbeat
Ron Rash told the Charlotte Observer recently that a first draft is like “an ugly glob of clay on a wheel.” It is an apt metaphor. The best writers discard the unnecessary bits. They use imagery, actions and dramatic tension … Continue reading
Practice makes better
With the insecurities, easily hurt feelings and sense of not belonging, middle school is still the stuff of nightmares. Yet, much as we might want to have avoided those years, middle school experiences are rough drafts for later life. Fortunately, … Continue reading
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Tagged bioterrorist, Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, middle school experiences, novel, poetry, revise
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Details, details
At sunset on a late June evening, a fisherman sees an empty boat drifting on a northern Michigan lake. Would the man be fishing from the shore, a dock or boat? What fish would he be after that time of … Continue reading
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Tagged details, Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, research, write, writer, writing tips
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Delete. Rewrite.
I was feeling pretty smug on Friday. I was going into the weekend with all my to-dos checked off and a little more than 2,500 words added to my novel, excluding revisions. But something wasn’t sitting right with me. The … Continue reading
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Tagged characters, critique, dramatic tension, Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, novel, revise, write
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Read to write – and enjoy
Reading is one of my greatest pleasures, and I suspect it is one of yours, too. It’s my treat to myself after I’ve completed the day’s work. If I’m feeling particularly self-indulgent, I’ll put the to-dos aside and curl up … Continue reading
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Tagged editor, Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, Heather Havrilesky, Jim Rutenberg, Mark Oppenheimer, New York Times, read, write
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Filling holes
We were leaving our critique group last week, comments and suggestions duly noted, when one of the members began asking me more about my main character’s motivation. Easy questions. I had written her back story before I started the book, … Continue reading
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Tagged characters, critique, Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, main character, novel, plot, writing
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Bringing it home
Familial relationships are complicated. And they should be just as complex in fiction as they are in real life. With the oldest child an accused bioterrorist, the Blake family has more than its share of complications. In the ninth chapter … Continue reading
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Tagged bioterrorist, Chicago Tribune, family, fiction, Gina Carroll Howard, novel
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Wealth of writers
As I listened to the local authors read from their works in 27 Views of Charlotte, I was overwhelmed by the wealth of talent in my adopted region. We had gathered at Park Road Books last Saturday for the book … Continue reading
Sticks and stones
We all know the power of words. They have incited revolutions, won and lost elections, galvanized movements, and begun and ended relationships. They have the power to cause incalculable harm and to bring restorative peace. Last week, Ken Burns’ wonderful … Continue reading
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Tagged Gina Carroll Howard, gina howard, Ken Burns, power of words, The Roosevelts, word choice, words, writer, writing
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Heeeeere’s…..Father Francis!
Poor Father Francis. Originally the opener, he’s been relegated to back-up player. Let me explain. I created Father Francis to provide an insider’s view of Clinton from an outsider’s perspective. Who better than a priest to know everything that’s going … Continue reading
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