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Tag Archives: Writing Fiction

A Reading and a Print Interview with What Love Feels Like Authors Dave Cunningham and C.K.Tyler

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on September 3, 2020 by Sheila BenderSeptember 4, 2020

I am delighted to introduce authors Dave Cunningham and C.K. Tyler who have collaborated on a newly published novel entitled What Loves Feels Like: The Dawn of Human 2.0. In the video below and the Q&A following, the two speak … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, Literary Gallery, The Working Writer, WIR2020, Writers Building a Community of Readers, Writing Makes a Difference | Tagged Writing Fiction

Writing A Novel in Linked Short Stories: Interview with author Kathryn Trueblood

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on February 6, 2020 by Kathryn TruebloodFebruary 6, 2020

When I received a review copy of Take Daily As Needed, Kathryn Trueblood’s “novel in stories” from University of New Mexico press, I dove right into reading it. A novel in stories sounded a lot like how I often advocate … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, WIR2020 | Tagged on writing, reading for writing, Writing Fiction

A Joke and a Limerick: Two Kernels for Good Writing

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on December 13, 2018 by Sheila BenderDecember 13, 2018

The two flash stories I am sharing this week offer you kernels for writing clever stories yourself. A Story with a Joke at Its Center Click over to “World’s Best Joke” https://www.passagesnorth.com/archives/issue-34/worlds-best-joke/ by Allen Woodman, one of my favorite short, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Instructional Exercises, Reading for Writing | Tagged Writing Fiction, Writing Flash | 1 Reply

Style Is the Wardrobe, Hairdo and Makeup a Storyteller’s Voice Wears

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on July 5, 2018 by Sheila BenderJuly 5, 2018

[This article originally appeared online for the Eleven Stories online writing program.– Ed.] My mother called me after the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to talk about the bride’s gown. The daughter of a ladies coats and suit … Continue reading →

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Posted in Reading for Writing, Sheila Bender On Writing, WIR2018 | Tagged reading for writing, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

Endings Part II–Twists, Surprises, and Morals

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on June 21, 2018 by Sheila BenderJune 21, 2018

Here’s the second part of the series I created for Kahini’s Eleven Stories program. I hope you enjoy the short stories as you follow along on the included documents as I read. And, of course, I hope you enjoy my discussions … Continue reading →

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Posted in Reading for Writing, Sheila Bender On Writing, WIR2017 | Tagged reading for writing, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

Endings Part One

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on June 13, 2018 by Sheila BenderJune 13, 2018

Here is a video I prepared for a program online called Eleven Stories. I hope you enjoy my talk (with documents in there so you can follow along as I read and lecture).  I will post Endings Part II next … Continue reading →

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Posted in WIR2018 | Tagged reading for writing, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

Crafting Stories for Children (and Adults)

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on March 1, 2018 by Nancy LambMarch 8, 2018

This week’s article by Nancy Lamb is a repost from 2008. It includes information on easy readers as well as on shaping other stories for children (or for any reader, really).  Nancy Lamb, author of The Writer’s Guide to Crafting … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, The Working Writer, WIR2018 | Tagged Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

Admiring and Learning from Flash Writing by Jim Heynen

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on July 13, 2017 by Sheila BenderJuly 13, 2017

I have been an eager reader of flash stories by Jim Heynen for years. I’ve read The Man Who Kept Cigars Under His Cap, One-Room School House: Stories About the Boys, The Boy’s House: New and Selected Stories as well … Continue reading →

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Posted in Instructional Exercises, Reading for Writing, WIR2017 | Tagged personal essay, reading for writing, Writing Fiction, writing inspiration

Reading as a Writer Reads — Taking a Lesson from the Writing in Just Fall, a Novel

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on July 6, 2017 by Sheila BenderJuly 6, 2017

I am an avid fan of Jane Friedman’s blog on writing and publishing. She is informative and up-to-date, presenting her expertise with scope and clarity. This week, I read her interview with screenwriter turned novelist, Nina R. Sadowsky.  I was … Continue reading →

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Posted in Reading for Writing, WIR2017 | Tagged reading for writing, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

Writing It Real Fall/Winter Contest Winner Dorothy Ross’ “A Night at the Plaza”

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on May 11, 2017 by Dorothy RossMay 18, 2017

[I will be posting the work of our recent three winners this week and then for the next two weeks. I hope you enjoy their comments about the writing of their work, our contest judge Sharon Byran’s comments, and, of … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, Literary Gallery, WIR2017 | Tagged contest winner, Writing Fiction

Excerpt From The Third Law of Motion, a Novel by Meg Files

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on February 18, 2016 by Sheila BenderFebruary 18, 2016

The opening of Meg Files’ fine novel The Third Law of Motion?introduces the?book’s first-person narrative as we enter protagonist Dulcie White’s life as a college-bound high school student. In alternating chapters throughout the book, the young woman’s sometimes boyfriend, a … Continue reading →

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Posted in Literary Gallery, WIR2015, WIR2016 | Tagged women's voices, Writing Fiction, writing in persona

20 Dialog Building Prompts

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on December 17, 2014 by Sheila BenderDecember 17, 2014

Dialog moves a narrative along in fiction, personal essay, memoir and poetry, too. Playing with ways to experiment with dialog will help you build your dexterity with this aspect of the writing craft. And playing with the prompts might have you … Continue reading →

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Posted in Instructional Exercises, WIR2014 | Tagged Writing Craft Tools, writing dialog, writing exercises, Writing Fiction

20 Character Building Exercises

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on December 10, 2014 by Sheila BenderDecember 10, 2014

When we write fiction, we need to get inside our characters’ beings. When we write memoir, we need to learn more about our own character as well as the character of people who have influenced our experience. But sometimes we need … Continue reading →

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Posted in Instructional Exercises, WIR2014 | Tagged Writing Craft Tools, writing exercises, Writing Fiction

That Crazy Little Thing, a Novel that Tackles What’s Big for a Writer and Her Characters

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on December 4, 2013 by Kate M. BracyDecember 4, 2013

That Crazy Little Thing a debut novel by Kate Bracy has garnered wonderful reviews from readers and critics because of the author’s writing, the way she has developed her characters and how they explore issues of love — between friends, … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, The Working Writer, WIR2013 | Tagged writing advice, Writing Fiction, writing inspiration

The Work of an Opening — To Achieve an Engaging, Smooth and Useful Beginning

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on August 28, 2013 by Julaina M. KleistAugust 28, 2013

Julaina Kleist-Corwin’s story is our third place winner in the spring/summer 2013 Writing It Real writing contest. Guest judge Terry Persun wrote to us that he chose the story because he liked the pacing and grew “to know the characters, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Literary Gallery, Revisions - Sample Successes, WIR2013 | Tagged contest winner, contest winning essay, Revision in prose writing, writing advice, Writing Fiction, Writing Scenes

Judith Kitchen on Reading as a Writer Reads Part 2

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on July 17, 2013 by Judith KitchenJuly 17, 2013

Applying her method of reading as a writer reads to Pam Houston’s Contents May Have Shifted, Judith Kitchen asks, “So is this memoir, masked as novel? Or novel, masked as memoir? That’s one of the first questions that a reader of this … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, Literary Gallery, The Working Writer, WIR2013 | Tagged memoir, reading for writing, Writing Fiction, writing memoir

Judith Kitchen on Reading as a Writer Reads Part 1

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on July 10, 2013 by Judith KitchenJuly 17, 2013

For our community read this past March 2013, the librarians in Port Townsend, where I live, chose Pam Houston’s novel Contents May Have Shifted, a story, they felt to be about love and freedom in middle age, something dear to … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, Literary Gallery, The Working Writer, WIR2013 | Tagged on writing, reading for writing, women's voices, Writing Fiction, writing memoir

Taking Chances

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on March 5, 2013 by Jack HeffronMarch 6, 2013

After years of writing, editing, publishing authors and teaching, Jack Heffron knows why we get stuck and how to work around that and back into our material. He’ll be teaching with Meg Files and Sheila Bender at our Writing It … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, The Working Writer, WIR2013 | Tagged Informational Writing, on writing, trust your writing, writing advice, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction, writing memoir

A Children’s Book From the Heart: Interview with Penny Holland

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on February 6, 2013 by Penny HollandFebruary 6, 2013

Creating stories to delight children and help them understand sophisticated social concepts is a primary objective of children’s book authors. But it is often hard to cut to the essence of situations in language children understand. Penny Claire Holland had … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, The Working Writer, WIR2013, Writing Makes a Difference | Tagged children's book writing, trust your writing, writing advice, writing career, Writing Fiction

Excerpt from Meg Files Novel The Third Law of Motion

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on January 30, 2013 by Meg FilesJanuary 30, 2013

This excerpt is from Chapter 15 of The Third Law of Motion by Meg Files, published by Anaphora Literary Press, 2011, reprinted here by permission of the author. Lonnie had already started work as an inventory clerk in a new discount … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, Literary Gallery, WIR2013 | Tagged fantasy fiction, women's voices, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction, Writing Scenes

The Third Law of Motion – An Interview with Meg Files

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on January 23, 2013 by Meg FilesMarch 6, 2013

This week’s interview is with my colleague Meg Files about her process for writing The Third Law of Motion, her newest novel and the book’s impact on its audience. You can study with Meg at our April Writing It Real conference … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, WIR2013 | Tagged trust your writing, Writing Fiction, writing life, Writing Scenes

Lasting Impressions – Excerpt from The Art and Craft of Storytelling

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on October 31, 2012 by Nancy LambDecember 17, 2012

Author Nancy Lamb has published two books on writing fiction with Writer’s Digest Books, The Art and Craft of Storytelling: A Comprehenisve Guide to Classic Writing Techniques, from which we present an excerpt this week, as well as The Writer’s … Continue reading →

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Posted in From Our Contributors, The Working Writer, WIR2012 | Tagged writing advice, Writing Craft Tools, Writing Fiction

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