Tag Archives: blogging

Confessions of a Failed Fiction Writer

Posted on 11/17/2011 by Jeff May

As I was hiking along the Meramec River (St. Louis, Castlewood State Park), I mulled over a sort of memoir concept that I’ve been thinking about for over a year now.  The only thing stopping me is that I know I will expend lots of time, energy, hard work, getting it as perfect as I can and it will go nowhere.  That is the crux of the story.  As I near 60 (I’ll be 58 … Continue reading →

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Finding Your Fiction: Concise Steps to Writing Successful Fiction — Character

Posted on 02/19/2011 by Jeff May

Establish Characterization Reveal Character Change character for good or bad If you become enamored with your plot twists and turns, you risk creating characters “beyond belief.” Your character can be a Terminator or a talking Sunfish and still be believable if their actions make sense. If our meek sunfish suddenly acts like a shark only to serve a plot twist, then Mr. Sunfish is no longer believable. On the other hand, if Mr. Sunfish has … Continue reading →

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Why This Blog?

Posted on 12/14/2010 by Jeff May

Why am I writing a blog? Aside from the usual cynical self-centered reasons, a significant part of me wants to help you. (My “other careers” were devoted to helping others also.) For almost 40 years I have been trying to become a paid fiction writer, and I wrote my first short story when I was about ten. (I was the goofball who volunteered to recite poetry in my eighth grade class. Sound familiar?) Becoming a … Continue reading →

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