The Writer's Compass » Archive
Now Available on Kindle
Yeah! The Writer’s Compass is now available on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/The-Writers-Compass-ebook/dp/B005G4W0UI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312640245&sr=8-2. Thank you Dale Blee for letting me know it was available. It should be up on other eBook formats soon. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Table of Contents, Introduction, About Writing
Finding Ideas: Where are they when you need one?
Actually, they are everywhere, it’s just that sometimes we are too focused on the immediate to see the potential. When our minds are filled with paying bills and making ends meet or job stresses, home stresses, family stresses, or school stresses, it can be difficult to look objectively or creatively at the world around us and see the stories strewn haphazardly about. Ideas come from strong emotions and feelings, from inspiration like paintings or music or a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Becoming A Writer, About Writing, The Writer's Life, Writing Exercises
Amazon Reviews
If you want to know what others think about The Writer’s Compass, there have been a couple of great reviews posted on amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Compass-Story-Finished-Stages/product-reviews/1599631970/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Introduction, About Writing
Dialogue, Pacing, and Tension
How much dialogue should be used compared to how much narrative or exposition? In stories, the more dialogue and the less narrative or exposition, the faster the pacing. This is one of the reasons that action shots in a screenplay should be shorter and in a play there should be very little to nothing between lines of dialogue, in these forms the story should be a fast read with just enough imagery for the reader to visualize … Read entire article »
Filed under: The 7 Stage Process, About Writing, Writing Exercises
10 Tips for Home Schooling
Since two of my daughters home school, one with a child old enough to use The Writer’s Compass as a tool for teaching creative writing, I though it appropriate to create “10 Tips for Home Schooling.” Although I teach creative writing at the undergraduate and graduate level, I believe that this book is useful to students at the high school and junior high level and some of my methods may be useful for you to use … Read entire article »
Filed under: About Writing, Uncategorized
The Writer’s Compass on eBooks
Look for The Writer’s Compass to be on your favorite eBooks by July 12 at your favorite book seller. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Knowing What You’re Writing About
Some of us start out knowing we have a message, something important we want to say about life or an issue or the world or society. Sometimes we have an idea from an event or a painting or music that inspires us to write, but it takes awhile to really understand what it is that we would like to say. And sometimes what we want to say changes as a story progresses–it may become more … Read entire article »
Filed under: About Writing
Finding True North
Drawing by Jamie Hansen. When I started writing, I wanted to figure out for myself what I was missing and what I was doing wrong. I figured a good writer shouldn’t always need to rely on feedback from others to get the story right. Not that feedback isn’t extremely helpful, sometimes you really need outside objectivity. The problem was in relying too much on outside feedback. How do you know when you have it right? You don’t always. And … Read entire article »
Filed under: The 7 Stage Process, About Writing
What Others Are Saying
Blogs RECENTLY ADDED Angela Booth’s Writing Blog Angela Booth, a writer and teacher, has posted a blog I wrote about The Writer’s Compass on her site and is encouraging those who have read TWC to post comments at http://www.angelabooth.biz/2011/07/the-writers-compass-by-nancy-ellen-dodd.html. July 16, 2011 The Lit Chick Show Video Interview Sylvia Massara posted a video interview of me discussing The Writer’s Compass on her site at http://www.litchickshow.com/2011/07/writers-compass-for-lit-chick-show.html. July 15, 2011 Morgen Bailey’s Blog Interview with me at http://wp.me/p18Ztn-lb. June 30, 2011 New Book Journal Posted press release about “The Writer’s Compass by Nancy Ellen Dodd” http://newbookjournal.com/2011/06/the-writers-compass-by-nancy-ellen-dodd/ June 29, 2011 Creative Writing Now “Nancy Ellen Dodd on How to Write a Manuscript in 7 Stages” posted at http://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-a-manuscript.html. June 17, 2011 Your Plot Thickens Lara Sterling discusses “What’s at Stake and Giving Your Story a Sense of Urgency” and how The Writer’s Compass developing them at http://yourplotthickens.blogspot.com/2011/06/whats-at-stake-and-giving-your-story.html. June 10, 2011 “Highlighted Author” Charlene A. Wilson highlights … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Message in a Bottle
Writing Exercise This writing exercise can be found in Chapter 4 of The Writer’s Compass: From Story Map to Finished Draft in 7 Stages. You are enjoying yourself on a cruise ship when an unexpected storm comes up and a wave washes you overboard. You manage to cling to a life preserver that went over with you and finally float to a small deserted island. You remain alone on the island as the days and weeks and months … Read entire article »
Filed under: Writing Exercises
The Bus Boy
If you were an aging alcoholic who spent most of the last years of your life homeless…and finally landed a job as a bus boy…what would your last dream be? “The Bus Boy” by Nancy Ellen Dodd is a short story used as an example in The Writer’s Compass: From Story Map to Finished Draft in 7 Stages. For free access to read “The Bus Boy” go to http://issuu.com/smudgedinkpress/docs/thebusboy. The story is in text and illustrated formats. I especially want to thank all of … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Bus Boy, Featured
Writer’s Digest Interview
To read more of the following excerpt go to: http://writersdigest.com/article/writers-compass-interview/ Continued at http://writersdigest.com/article/writers-compass-interview/ … Read entire article »
Filed under: Writer's Digest
The Picture Map
Writing Exercise: Turning the Story Map Into a Picture Map Because of my concern that the structure chart and story map would be misinterpreted as a linear development process, I used my artistic skills (not) to create a picture map. The picture map overlays the structure chart and uses the ideas from the story map to create images. The picture map can be created to look like a scene or it can be a conglomeration of pictures … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Picture Map, Writing Exercises
Living a Writer’s Life
Mapping Your Life as a Writer What does it mean to you to become a writer? At what point will you feel like a writer? What will being a writer look like in your everyday world? Chapter 11 discusses what living as a writer means including: 9 Qualities of Successful Writers Do you need talent or luck? Effective Networking Do you need a writer’s group? Entering Writing Competitions Setting Goals that Make Sense Combining Writing with Another Career Quality Writing Can I Make … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Writer's Life, Featured
The 7 Stage Process
Developing the 7 Stages The 7-Stage process systematically develops a story one level at a time, every stage building on the last. Each stage focuses on an area of development that works through key obstacles to create a strong story. Charting the essential elements of storytelling with your ideas across a story map lays the foundation for your story. Progressing systematically through each stage helps you develop your story with the least number of revisions. The 7 … Read entire article »
Filed under: The 7 Stage Process, Featured
Recent Comments