Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
by Anne R. Allen What should a new writer do when friends or family members ask to look at your fledgling WIP (work in progress)? We’re usually eager to share our work, and want to hear if we’re on the right track. The problem is, over-exuberant praise can keep us from polishing a draft, […]
Bad critiquing can pop somebody’s bubble without being helpful by Anne R. Allen I often advise new writers to look for a critique group to help them learn the writing ropes and get free feedback as well as the support they need when starting on a writing journey. But critique groups vary widely and some […]
by Christine Carron Getting your work critiqued can be transformative. Most of us have probably experienced deep gratitude when a fellow writer shares an insight that allows us to see a weakness that we were too close to see on our own. Something that, once we act on it, transports our story to a […]
by Anne R. Allen I recommend that new writers take advantage of critique groups in order to learn about the publishing business and the craft of writing. Writing courses are expensive and often not as helpful as a good critique group. But there are bad critique groups too. Really bad. I’ve seen authors stop writing […]
Creativity wounds: the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism. by Anne R. Allen. A couple of weeks ago, Grant Faulkner, executive director of NaNoWriMo, wrote a short piece for Jane Friedman’s blog about what he calls “creativity wounds.” The post resonated with me. Oh, yeah, I know about creativity wounds! I have to admit that […]
Even if you have the writing talent of Lord Byron, you need these things. by Anne R. Allen I understand why new writers want to be reassured they have writing talent. They don’t want to embark on the long road to a writing career if they don’t have the chops. So I have sympathy with […]
Predators are looking for newbies who make these mistakes. by Anne R. Allen We all make mistakes. It’s how people learn. But some new writer mistakes can end a writing career before it starts. They play into the hands of the predators who make money off the delusions of newbie writers. Ruth and I are […]
Writing career mistakes will happen, but these are some you can avoid. by Anne R. Allen Ruth and I like to say we made all the writing career mistakes so you don’t have to. I figure that I’ve collected nearly the full set of authorial faux pas since I embarked on a writing career. So today I’m […]
Beta Readers aren’t editors or proofreaders, just thoughtful readers. by Anne R. Allen Most writers can benefit from the help of Beta Readers, whether we’re beginners or long-time professionals. So what’s a Beta Reader? The term first came from fan fiction, and it means a person who reads your Work-In-Progress (“WIP”) when you, the writer […]
Groucho Marxists are definitely on the writer’s enemy list by Anne R. Allen It can be tough to be a writer at holiday time. Uncle Bob wants to know why you aren’t rich yet. Aunt Susie calls you antisocial because you insist on doing those rewrites for your editor instead of helping with her booth […]
Stupid writing rules–Beware the Dunning-Kruger Effect. by Anne R. Allen Fake news isn’t our only problem in the era of social media. Fake writing rules are everywhere. Even I get taken in. I shared a meme on Facebook yesterday that gave a spelling rule that was 100% wrong. Thank goodness an English teacher friend […]
Critique groups have their pros and cons. by Anne R. Allen I often advise new writers to join critique groups. Groups are usually free and they’re a great way to learn the basics of the writing craft. They can get writers out of their “writing garrets” and help newbies navigate the treacherous waters of the […]
by Anne R. Allen “Show-Don’t-Tell” is one of the most sacred commandments in the writerly bible. As Susan Defreitas wrote at LitReactor, “If writing advice were classic rock, this would be ‘Stairway to Heaven’.” “Show, Don’t Tell” is sound advice—up to a point. Nobody wants to read a novel that’s a dry recitation of incidents. […]
