Sonya M. Black

Rules and writers have a love/hate relationship. We adore them when they work for us and make writing easier. We hate them with a fiery passion reserved for the person who ate the last piece of chocolate when they impede our sense of artistic reason. There are many lists of so-called writing rules out there. Often couched in terms of “Never” and “Always,” they cause even the most mild-mannered of writers to break out the pitchforks and torches. This list is one I hope every w

Subtext is a tricky beast to tame, but once you’ve mastered it, a whole new world of nuance opens up. Subtext is the meaning behind the words. The themes and messages that lay beneath what is being said. Actors study subtext to convey the emotion behind the words they speak. Writers must dive beneath the words as well. Think back to a favorite book. One you’ve read multiple times. One that becomes more meaningful with each reading because you uncover something new. Chances ar

Point of view is probably one of the trickiest and most vital choices a writer makes for any story. It determines how the reader will view the story. No viewpoint is inherently better than another. There are pros and cons to each of them. Some writers tend to stick with one because that’s what they are comfortable with. Some writers will claim that one viewpoint is superior to another. I would encourage you to try out and read as many viewpoints and narrative distances as pos

Words that every writer hates to hear. Part of our job is to create something fresh and new. Clichés can be an indication of stale writing but are also an invaluable tool in the writer's toolbox. Most writing guru's will tell you to avoid clichés. To cut them out of your writing without a backward glance. But, clichés have their place in a writer's toolbox. Let's discuss for a second the difference between tropes and clichés. Tropes are not clichés. Tropes are the bones tha

The title speaks for itself. Being a writer, I’m supposed to market myself and part of that is doing this social media thing. Up until now, I’ve limited my platform to Facebook, Twitter, and a website that, let’s face it, I rarely use. Since we’re starting a new year, I thought, “What am I going to do to connect with more readers?” The answer is to start a newsletter and blog. Well, here it is. Me, biting the bullet and doing the thing I swore I wouldn’t do. Now, what should