Articles written by Mike Klaassen - Page 5

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About me - Mike Klaassen

Author of young-adult novels CRACKS and THE BRUTE. "My goal is to write fiction that even the most reluctant readers will enjoy." I'm currently working on two projects: a novel set during the War of 1812 and a nonfiction book about writing fiction.

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Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Robert's Rules of Writing, by Robert Mosello: 1 of 1
WITTY, REFRESHING, SCRAMBLED FORMAT Robert's Rules of Writing: 101 Unconventional Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know, by Robert Mosello, is a collection of writing tips presented in no particular order. As the subtitle states, many of the lessons contradict conventional thinking. Each "rule" is presented as a chapter title, ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Plot and Structure, by James Scott Bell: 1 of 1
Book Review of PLOT & STRUCTURE, Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell 2004, Writer's Digest Books ONE OF THE BEST PLOT & STRUCTURE, by James Scott Bell, is an insightful study of plot and structure, together with practical tips and exercises on how to improv... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Dialogue: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Effective Dialogue, by Gloria Kempton: 1 of 1
Book Review of DIALOGUE: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Effective Dialogue by Gloria Kempton, 2004, Writer's Digest Books DIALOGUE, by Gloria Kempton, is a comprehensive study of the dialogue mode of fiction-writing. It's filled with insightful looks at the potential uses of dialogue and practical tips on how to incor... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Description and Setting, by Ron Rozelle: 1 of 1
Book Review of DESCRIPTION & SETTING By Ron Rozelle, 2005, Writer's Digest Books DESCRIPTION & SETTING, by Ron Rozelle, provides a good overview and plenty of material for further reflection. Well worth the purchase price. The book starts with an overview of why description and setting are important and then provides tips fo... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips You can write the great American novel: 3 of 5
So you want to write the Next Great American Novel? Why not? We all have our fantasies. But what if you really want to take a serious shot at it? What would it look like? The word NEXT implies that the novel has not yet been written. So you're not competing against Herman Melville, Mark Twain, or Ernest Hemingway. Besides, t... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources The best books about writing fiction: 3 of 5
When I first decided to try writing novels, I was in my mid-forties and hadn't written so much fiction as a short story since the 8th grade. My starting point as a novelist was a book about how to write novels for children and young adults. It was a great foundation, and I recommend that new novelists start with a general bo... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Fiction writing tips: Bringing words to life with descriptive narrative: 2 of 3
Description " . . . is more than the amassing of details; it is bringing something to life by carefully choosing and arranging words and phrases to produce the desired effect," according to Writing from A to Z, edited by Kirk Polking. Todd A. Stone, in Novelist's Boot Camp, observes that "Good description has a purpose (or p... More..
Arts & Humanities > Thoughts on Writing Juggling the relationship between author, narrator, character, and reader in your fiction writing: 2 of 3
FICTION-WRITING SCHIZOPHRENIA To be an effective fiction writer, it helps to be a little schizophrenic. Well, maybe not with the actual psychosis, but it certainly helps to be adept at shifting in and out of four different mindsets. The mindsets I'm referring to are that of the author, the narrator, the point-of-view charact... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Fiction writing: Transferring emotion from author to character to reader: 2 of 3
According to Mildred I. Reid, in the Writer's Digest Guide to Good Writing, there is only one must in creative writing: the author must transfer an emotional experience to the reader. Gloria Kempton, in Dialogue, provides an avenue for transferring that emotion when she observes that "The only way to connect with our reader ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss: 6 of 7
EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss, is an entertaining overview of punctuation, its history, and its modern misuse. As an international bestseller, it has no doubt raised appreciation for punctuation. On the other hand, the book is no substitute for a good reference book. The bo... More..