Author Archives: Susan

REVIEWS: Hypertext

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Susan

I’m reading Kristina’s hypertext piece and it is chock full of conflict and drama and a life-changing event so all the elements of fiction (and I only wish for her that this was fiction) and writing style are there. Even … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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CLASS NOTES: 5/7/08

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Susan

Good workshopping last night.  Within the three stories we covered tense, humor, dialogue pacing, imagery, setting, types of conflict and various methods of resolution, building tension, importance of event, character building, and detail. For me personally, after having already taken … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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BLOGGING: Fair Use

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Susan

I believe that if I could conceive of Hell and choose its residential population, it would be only home to spammers. Continue reading →

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IDEAS: Gringa

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Susan

Still thinking, thinking, thinking on Molly’s story.  Two points of conflict and resolution; two ways of looking at the piece.  One is a mystery story, one is a mystery of internal conflict.  Themes, motifs, conflicts, all here to be discovered … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Setting

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Susan

I wonder if we’d left a half hour later, arriving fifteen minutes late for the appointment, how long we’d have to wait.  I try to tell him, but he sits quiet, silent, nods without looking up. I finger the book … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: ANNOUNCEMENT

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Susan

Throw away all the how-to books; read Italo Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler; therein you will learn most of what you need to know about writing. Continue reading →

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STORIES: Only A Phone Call Away – Final (!) Draft #5

Posted on May 5, 2008 by Susan

Draft #5 means only that there were enough changes made to Draft #4 (and on backward) to warrant a completely new draft number.  But this is it.  I must move on.  Only A Phone Call Away 5.pdf Interesting too that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REALITY & WRITING: What is?

Posted on May 5, 2008 by Susan

Very interesting conversations via podcast on Steve Ersinghaus’ blog regarding perspective and perception and past and present. Can’t remember (and of course, can’t find now) where I’ve run up against the principles just recently, whether in reading or in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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REALITY?: Dexter

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Susan

Not feeling real good about this new CBS show. I’ve watched it several times, twice tonight for the back to back season finale.  It’s about a serial killer who only killed other killers, had a horrendous experience at age three, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Metaphor

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Susan

The evening sky an angry man of steel blue clouds storming through the orange fire of dying passion. Continue reading →

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STORIES: Only A Phone Call Away – More Reason…

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Susan

…to keep talking to Brad: Something you say strikes him funny and he laughs that same fantastic sensual roll of knowing chuckle and you laugh too because you like the sound. I don’t want to add much more to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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STORIES: Only A Phone Call Away – Justification

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Susan

Among the editing and rewriting of this story, one thing kept coming back that I didn’t really think I needed to handle: why she did in fact even think of talking to Brad.  So, this is for Jim Murphy, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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WRITING: Tweak. Tweak, tweak, tweak. Tweak.

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Susan

Still and ever, more and more. A writer’s work is never done. And when it’s down to then or when, and or so, a or the, and all these have been corrected to the best meaning of the story, it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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STORIES: The Writest – ‘nuther one!

Posted on May 3, 2008 by Susan

Someone must pull the plug on me now that the faucet’s on full blast: The_Writest_1.pdf I’ve been tweaking and twiddling with the last story and told myself that even with most of the deadlines of the better journals passed (writers … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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STORIES: Only a Phone Call Away – Draft #5

Posted on May 3, 2008 by Susan

I think, I think it’s done enough to consider sending out. Even though this is not a favorite of mine. Now to pick and choose my market. Only_a_Phone  Call_Away_5.pdf   Continue reading →

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