Author Archives: lopopolo

Thog’s Masterclass Missing Link Dept. ‘He was wearing a grey cap, grey jacket, white shirt, navy-blue striped tie and white socks, which he’d pulled up almost to his pink kneecaps.’ (Claire North, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, 2014) … Continue reading →

By Robin Winter Why do I need an editor? I can read– in fact I’m really good at that. I can get all those great advice books that tell me how to self-edit, and then I’m there, right? No. The answer … Continue reading →

Watch the Shadows Robin Winter White Whisker Books 978-0-9863265-0-9 (May 1, 2015) Impressionistic writing invites the imagination into this sci-fi mystery with idiosyncratic characters. The sight of a plastic grocery bag drifting on the wind is common all over, but … Continue reading →

You’ll need a book you want to read, a highlighter pen, and some stick on arrows like you see on legal documents that say: sign here. Here’s what you mark up in the book: l. Words, phrases, sentences you admire. … Continue reading →

Thog’s Masterclass Please add your own in the comments below. Neat Tricks ‘Alex’s snub-nosed face sagged open. His blue eyes revolved incredulously.’ (Paul Anderson & Gordon R. Dickson, ‘Heroes are Made’ aka ‘The Sheriff of Canyon Gulch’, May 1951 Other … Continue reading →

10:35 – 11:35 AM Toni will speak on “Mastering  Editing  Skills”  Techniques  that  help  the  writer  learn  the  all  important  skill  of  self-editing:  Avoid  The 10 Most Common Mistakes First Novelists Make. Insights you’ve not heard  before from an agent. … Continue reading →

Thog’s Masterclass Dept of Punchy Opening Lines. ‘At first there was only the cold, the Stygian inky iciness that held every muscle of his body in thrall and made his thoughts flow with the turgid slowness of treacly molasses.’ (Wilbur … Continue reading →

“When I was in the middle of writing Eat Pray Love and I fell into one of those pits of despair that we will fall into when we’re working on something that’s not coming and we think ‘this is going to be … Continue reading →

Writing our own stories helps us see the narrative thread in our lives, reflect on the consequences of events and maybe find redemption or closure. Life stories, memoirs, autobiographies — whatever term we use–have been wildly popular for the past … Continue reading →