First Reader and I have traveled a lot of the United States, in the car, or on our motorcycles. Our first road trip was right after Christmas the first year we were together. We spent a little more than two weeks traveling around the Midwest, visiting friends, and reconnecting with my kids. That trip set … Continue reading The Travel Bug
Finding Stories
Sometimes it’s hard to home in on a story to tell. The Vignette Many times, what comes to my mind is a vignette rather than a story. A vignette is defined as “a short descriptive literary sketch” or a “brief incident or scene (as in a play or movie)”. If you have studied any languages, … Continue reading Finding Stories
LGBTQ History Month
(C) 2019 JJ ShaunSign in front of the Rainbow House in Topeka, Kansas October is LGBTQ History Month. Why do I mention that you ask? Well, if you haven’t already figured it out, I’m a lesbian. I struggled with my identity in the early 80s when being gay was still considered a “mental illness.” It … Continue reading LGBTQ History Month
Welcome to Tech Writer Tuesday
© 2019 JJ ShaunWhere the Tech Writer fits. Welcome to Tech Writer Tuesday, my new feature that explains what a Technical Writer is and what they do. What Makes Me Qualified? My path to Tech Writer began some thirty-something years ago when I joined the US Navy under a six-year obligation and became an Electronics … Continue reading Welcome to Tech Writer Tuesday
Writing Short Fiction
Short fiction is an art form. As with any story, it must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It must make sense and be complete. Most short stories fall in the 1,000- to 4,000-word range, although Writer’s Digest defines short stories as 1,500 to 30,000 words. Stories written using fewer than 1,000 words … Continue reading Writing Short Fiction
I’m A Writer, Now What?
I’ve spent the last several years preparing myself for retirement. After all, I’m not getting any younger, and I watched too many senior citizens struggle on a fixed income. I realized that I have skills I can use after the high-tech world was finished with me—or I was finished with it. And now that the … Continue reading I’m A Writer, Now What?
A Different Perspective
Last week First Reader and I took our new camper out for a test-camp. We took advantage of an offer to stay four days and three nights at an RV resort in the Black Hills. Now, we ride motorcycles to the region almost every year for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally®, but we’ve never really been … Continue reading A Different Perspective
Character Creation II
Exciting characters make the most compelling stories—at least in my reading experiences. Maybe that's why my stories almost always begin with a character rather than a plot. Well, except one and I'm working on that. One of my first characters, Meegan Redoak, is still rattling around in my head. She and her friend, Skrie, are … Continue reading Character Creation II
What’s in a (Character) Name?
As writers, we spend an excessive amount of time coming up with names for our characters. Sometimes, for me at least, the character proudly announces who they are—name, history, the whole shebang. Some characters are a bit more stubborn and hoard that information like gold. My character Meegan Redoak has been with me for so … Continue reading What’s in a (Character) Name?
Friday Features I
Welcome to Friday Features. What is it all about? To be honest, I haven’t totally decided yet. I thought about blogging my freelance journey as I start a new chapter of my life. I thought about talking about some of the freaky stuff that happens in life. I thought about a lot of things. So, … Continue reading Friday Features I
J.J. Shaun 