Tag Archives: writing
Setting: A Sense of Place
Have you ever been on a cruise? I’ve only done it once, a small-ship cruise in Alaska’s Inside Passage. The ship had about a hundred tourists and we were able to go into smaller coves and closer to the glaciers than the big Princess ship we saw a few times along the route. The contrast […]
A Question of Character
There’s much discussion among writer about how to craft characters and reader questions about how writers come up with their characters. Are they based on real people? I’m surprised at the number of writers who admit they are. I can’t imagine that. I mean, lately when I’m deep in the writing and I’m trying to […]
So, Back to Writing
I’m reading a very cool book, In Search of the Canary Tree, by Lauren E. Oakes. It’s early yet, and in it she’s just starting her Ph.D. research project analyzing yellow-cedar forests on an island in the Alexander Archipelago of southeast Alaska, near Sitka. What does this have to do with writing? I’m enthralled by […]
In a Word: Endurance
I’m pretty bad at coming up with titles for my stories, but I love discovering the meaning of titles in other works so should use that as a lesson. One of my favorite books is A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra. The title is a little off-putting. Long, weird. It’s about the aftermath […]
Opening Endurance
My wife once asked me what I like about writing. Depending on the day, like today as I struggle with a scene, I’d say not much. To describe writing as frustrating completely understates the feelings you have when you a) can’t think of what to write about, b) can’t remember that great idea you had […]
Writing Prompt: Table
I haven’t posted one of these in a while. Twice a month, I get together with some other writers. We pull a prompt from an envelope and write for 30 minutes, then read to each other and chat. Sometimes I have to cogitate before coming up with something to write. Not this time. I plunged […]
Worldbuilding
Each morning, when the weather is nice, I sit on my porch and eat my snack while my second cup of coffee perks. It’s now late June. The yard looks lush and at peak greenery. The mountain laurel are flowering—white and pink snowballs covering the bushes. The smaller sheep laurel dots the surrounding green with […]
There’s No Birding in Space
At heart I’m a nature girl, so it was hard to write a novel that takes place mostly on a space ship. In Endurance, Captain Lyn Randall even laments about wanting to hear bird song and feel the wind. It’s summer now here in New England and the days are long. I’ll wake up at […]
Last Endurance Excerpt #19
She worked the buttons, responding as Ani called out instructions. The ship slowed then stilled. Random items continued to ricochet around the bridge. Gravity was off. The red flashing lights switched to yellow. Whatever had breached was sealing itself. The life support siren quieted but echoed in Lyn’s head as she caught her breath, frustrated […]
Endurance Excerpt #18
As Lyn waited for Ani to get to the window, she heard from her first officer. “Franklin to the bridge.” “Randall here, Marc. Where are you?” “In my quarters.” His cabin was the farthest aft on the Bridge Deck, next to the muster area known as the Paddock. A loud thunk came through the link […]
Elaine Burnes 