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A Prisoner of Hope
Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.
A Prisoner of Hope
Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.
I post the first and third Tuesday of the month.
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Megan DiMaria
Jan 9, 20181 min read
A Writer's Prayer for You
We're into the new year. So many folks are clinging to resolutions and goals. Myself? I like to start the year with a prayer—one I'm...
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Megan DiMaria
Nov 28, 20172 min read
Why plot holes are a big deal
I love to get caught up in the fictional dream, and one of the worst things that can happen is a gaping plot hole. It doesn't matter if...
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Megan DiMaria
Oct 10, 20172 min read
Don't waste pretty words. File them away!
Writers, do you keep a pretty-word file? Sometimes a description hits the spot exactly. When that happens in a novel I’m reading, I often...
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Megan DiMaria
Jun 6, 20172 min read
Author Voice, part four
*This is part four in a series. View parts one, two, and three. If you've been following this series, are you understanding author voice...
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Megan DiMaria
May 30, 20172 min read
Understanding Author Voice, part three
*This is part three in a series. View parts one and two. I hope you’re enjoying the different samples of author voice we're including...
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Megan DiMaria
May 23, 20173 min read
Understanding Author Voice, part two
*This is part two in a series. View part one. Last week we started discussing author voice, which is the way in which an author tells a...
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Megan DiMaria
May 16, 20173 min read
What is Author Voice?
A lot of time is spent in writing circles discussing author voice. What is it? How do you perfect it? Author voice is the way in which an...
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Megan DiMaria
May 9, 20172 min read
Do dreams expire?
Is it ever too late to pursue a dream? Can you ponder a dream for too long, and miss the opportunity for accomplishment? Consider the...
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Megan DiMaria
Apr 25, 20172 min read
How does a writer decide on an idea? Part Two
This is the second of a two-part topic. See part one here. If you ask a seasoned writer, they’ll tell you that ideas are in the air....
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Megan DiMaria
Apr 18, 20172 min read
How does a writer decide on an idea? Part One
How does a writer decide on an idea? I believe writers are peculiar people. We tuck bits of memories in our brains and hearts only to...
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Megan DiMaria
Apr 11, 20172 min read
The Truth about Defining Moments
Have you experienced a moment when when reality crystalizes and you finally KNOW a deep, personal truth? I’ve been thinking about...
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Megan DiMaria
Apr 4, 20172 min read
Writers, learn to put rejection in perspective
Rejection is an ugly word, especially to a writer. But we need to keep it in perspective. To help you put rejection into perspective, I’d...
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Megan DiMaria
Mar 28, 20172 min read
Why readers need to experience the novel (see it, smell it, feel it, taste it, hear it . . .)
I recently read a story that left me wholly unsatisfied. The author skimped on writing in the sensory details. I felt disoriented while...
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Megan DiMaria
Feb 28, 20172 min read
Strategies to Overcome Writer's Block
Consider yourself the luckiest writer in the universe if you’ve never experienced a moment of writer’s block. Consider yourself fortunate...
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Megan DiMaria
Feb 21, 20171 min read
When challenges arise, what do YOU do?
When faced with a challenge, do you give up or persist? See that photo? It's of a hiking trial in Maroon Bells outside of Aspen,...
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Megan DiMaria
Feb 14, 20171 min read
Writers: give yourself the gift of perspective
Happy is the person who dreams dreams and is willing to take the steps to make them come true. Don't be afraid to start climbing, and...
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Megan DiMaria
Feb 7, 20171 min read
Great Writing Websites to Check Out
If you're a writer, do you spend time reading tips from pros and other writers in the trenches? You should. I have a few favorite writing...
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Megan DiMaria
Jan 24, 20172 min read
Character traits in real life and books
Do you appreciate admirable character traits? Excuse me while I get a little introspective. I've been counting my blessings lately, and...
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Megan DiMaria
Jan 17, 20171 min read
Keys for writers to develop a unique voice:
I have good news and bad news for you today. The good news is that no one, no other writer, speaker, or thinker can steal your voice. And...
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Megan DiMaria
Jan 10, 20172 min read
Writers, avoid the weasel words!
Want to make your writing more irresistible? Then learn what the weasel words are, and avoid them. Weasel words are words that somehow...
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