Tag: Writing as a Craft
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Writer’s Shop Talk: When Best-Laid Plans Go Astray on Laundry Day
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Late Morning, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Miami, Florida Yesterday was not a productive day for writing my novel. Despite my best intentions and heartfelt desire to write – or at least outline – the fourth scene of Reunion: Coda’s 24th chapter, I experienced a mind-numbing writer’s block. One reason for my struggle was that it…
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The Writer’s Grind: Triumphs and Trials of Crafting ‘Reunion: Coda’
Early Afternoon, February 1, 2025, Miami, Florida Yesterday marked the end of my regular workweek as a first-time novelist. Despite my high hopes and good intentions, it was less productive than anticipated, especially concerning Reunion: Coda. My morning began with writing my daily blog post, followed by a refreshing midday break. Determined to make headway,…
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A Day in the Life of a Writer: Battling Writer’s Block
Midday, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Miami, Florida “Writer’s block is akin to a “vacancy” sign; if you wait long enough they will eventually fill.” ― Nanette L. Avery Well, Constant Reader, it happened again. Instead of mapping out—much less writing—a new scene for Reunion: Coda’s 24th chapter (I include the novel’s prologue as a chapter),…
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Chilly Florida Mornings: A Writer’s Perspective
Late Morning, Thursday, January 23, 2025, Miami, Florida Hi all. It’s a gray, cloud-shrouded, and downright chilly morning here in South Florida. As I write this, the temperature is a brisk 57°F (12°C). Stepping outside earlier, I was greeted by leaden skies that seemed to say, “Don’t even think about it”—even though no rain was…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Venturing into Fiction: My Journey from Journalism to Novel Writing
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in Miami….Again, Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Miami-Dade Community College, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaNavigating the Quirky Seas: From Journalism to Zany Fiction Adventures Even though I’ve been writing for many years—having studied journalism in high school and majored in it at Miami-Dade Community College (now Miami-Dade College)—and have penned thousands of articles, reviews, and blog posts, my ventures into fiction have been few. The first two pieces—a short…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: A Day of Mixed Emotions and Creative Triumphs
Late Morning, Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Miami, Florida Yesterday was a day of mixed feelings. On one hand, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, starting his second term with controversial actions like abandoning Afghan refugees, pardoning the January 6 insurrectionists, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: Reunion: A Fragrant Journey Through Time
What is your protagonist’s main trigger (a plot device which causes flashbacks, insightful internal dialogue, etc.)? Is it a certain smell, certain song? When I wrote the first draft of Reunion: A Story in the fall of 1998, I didn’t have any “how to write fiction” books nor a textbook from my creative writing course…
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Writer’s Shop Talk: A Writer’s Weekend: From Cloudy Days to Vivid Scenes in Miami
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Blogging, Creative Writing, Florida Weather, Going Full Circle: Back to South Florida I Go, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in Florida, Life in Miami….Again, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Writing as a CraftLate Morning, Saturday, January 18, 2025, Miami, Florida It’s another cloudy winter day in South Florida. As I write this, the temperature is a balmy 77°F (25°C) under mostly cloudy skies. Unlike yesterday’s deluge, which turned the neighborhood into a temporary water park, today promises warmth and mostly sunshine—a delightful start to the weekend in…
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Writing Wisdom from a Jedi: Mastering Your Novel with a Clear Mind and Steady Hand
Early Afternoon, Wednesday, January 15, 2025, Miami, Florida Random Thoughts About Writing