Tag: Writing as a Craft
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On Writing and Storytelling: Jim, Mrs. Brillenstein, and the Confluence of Memory and Fiction
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Reviews, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Blogging, Books, Creative Writing, Life in Florida, Life in South Florida, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami Senior High School, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a Craft2 Late to Homeroom 7:45 AM I was late for homeroom. Mrs. Brillenstein didn’t like that. She was a young-looking woman, maybe in her early thirties, with long auburn hair and big brown eyes that could be friendly or fierce, depending on her mood. She taught English 2, Regular, and drama in Room 230, which…
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âThe Last Afterschool Walk Homeâ: Writing Friendship, Farewell, and the Emotional Geography of South Miami High
đ âThe Last Afterschool Walk Homeâ: Writing Friendship, Farewell, and the Emotional Geography of South Miami High This is a story I donât tell often; Iâm a private man, and I donât like to spill my guts about my love life, or lack thereof. Iâm fine with talking in front of a crowd â whether…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Price of a Missing Paragraph
Or: Why Editorial Blindness Isnât Just AnnoyingâItâs Expensive Thereâs a special kind of heartbreak reserved for writers who reread their own work and discover something missingâa line, a transition, a comma that once held the rhythm together. Itâs called editorial blindness, and itâs not just a cognitive quirk. Itâs a budget line. This weekend, I…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Working on Weekends – Hope and Persistence, or Quixotic Hubris?
Sunday, October 12, 2025 đ Orlando, Florida A Chilly Morning and a Familiar Ritual This morning greeted me with an unexpected chillâlow 60s, which, by Florida standards, qualifies as brisk. The sun had barely crept over the horizon when I stirred, debating whether to return to sleep. Light tends to sabotage my rest once it…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Rewards of Being a Storyteller
âď¸ A Chewed Cover, a Plane Ride, and the Gift of Lost Love: Gratitude Reflections Sometimes, the most meaningful moments begin with a bit of chaos. Last night, my friend Dayna Pitcher shared a story that touched me deeplyânot just because she praised Reunion: A Story, but because of how the book found its way…
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On Writing and Storytelling: How – and Why – I Wrote ‘Reunion: Coda’
đź Writing the Coda: How Music, Memory, and Missed Chances Shaped Reunion: Coda When I first wrote Reunion: A Story in 1998, I didnât imagine it would become the central panel of a literary triptych. It was a novella born from grief, memory, and a quiet experiment in fictionâan elegy for a classmate lost too…
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When Your Characters Feel Too Much: Writing Emotional Truth That Overwhelms Even the Author
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami High School in fiction, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftWhen Your Characters Feel Too Much: Writing Emotional Truth That Overwhelms Even the Author There are nights when I sit with Jim Garratyânot as his creator, but as his witness. I wrote him. I shaped his world. And still, there are moments when his emotional clarity leaves me breathless. Not because heâs dramatic. Not because…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Love, Sex, & Relationships, Personal History, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Sex, Writing as a Craftđ Soft Light, Quiet Courage: Writing First-Time Intimacy with Emotional Grace Thereâs a moment in Comings and Goingsâquiet, unadornedâwhere Jim confesses to Kelly that his first time didnât last long. Heâs not ashamed. Just honest. And Kelly, in turn, doesnât flinch, correct, or console. She simply says: âThen it was perfect. You were kind. You…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Writing Intimacy as Emotional Truth
đ Between Floors and Feelings: Writing Intimacy as Emotional Truth In Reunion: Coda, thereâs a moment suspended in timeâan elevator ride, a kiss, and a song that shouldnât belong. Itâs not a grand gesture or a climactic reveal. Itâs quiet. Intentional. Sacred. âThe elevator is unusually empty as we step inside. The Musak version of…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Why a Prologue Was Necessary: Reopening the Door to Jim Garratyâs Emotional Past
Why a Prologue Was Necessary: Reopening the Door to Jim Garratyâs Emotional Past When I returned to the world of Reunion: A Story nearly 25 years after its original publication, I wasnât simply revisiting old charactersâI was confronting the emotional residue they left behind. Reunion: Coda demanded more than a sequel; it required a bridge.…
A Certain Point of View, Too 