Posts Categorized: On Writing
copyright 2005 by Shirley Jump www.shirleyjump.com Even if you haven’t sold anything yet to a publisher—or even if you’ve sold a hundred things—it’s handy to keep a few tips in mind when working with your editor and publisher. I’m a writer, just like you are, and I know that we all tend to get excited … Read the rest →
This article originally appeared in the JumpStart newsletter Copyright by Shirley Jump www.shirleyjump.com I hear it all the time: “I want to be a writer but I don’t have the time to be one.” My response? A quote from British author George E. Allen that a friend sent to me once: “How badly do you … Read the rest →
This article originally appeared in The Rock Copyright 2001 by Shirley Jump www.shirleyjump.com Have you ever watched Angelina Jolie act? If not, go see “Girl, Interrupted” or “Gia.” There’s a woman who truly knows how to let go, to slip into her roles with a ferocity that’s almost primal. She truly becomes the other person, … Read the rest →
Copyright 2001 by Shirley Jump www.shirleyjump.com Good fiction and non-fiction does two things makes you keep turning long into the night and triggers your emotions. It’s the books that make us laugh and makes us cry that we remember, which is why writing with emotion is so important. If I find a book that does … Read the rest →
“Don’t tell us that the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” Samuel Clemens We’ve all heard the phrase “Show, don’t tell” but may not know what it means or how to do it. It’s one of those elusive things that seem impossible to capture, even harder to get down on paper. … Read the rest →
Originally published in the JumpStart newsletter Copyright 2001 by Shirley Jump A friend sent me the following quote from Shakespeare: “Doubt is a thief that often makes us fear to tread where we might have won.” Ah, the words of the immortal bard. Have you seen “Shakespeare in Love?” In that movie, Shakespeare goes through … Read the rest →
Copyright 2001 by Shirley Jump This article originally appeared in The Rock Finding your true writing voice is a lot like falling in love you know it when it happens. Until then, you bumble along, trying this style and that, wondering if this is it or if a better voice is out there just waiting … Read the rest →
copyright 2004 by Shirley Jump I was interviewed recently by a radio host who asked me about the biggest lesson I had to learn when I went from writing non-fiction to fiction. At first, I talked about the usual things I had noticed—that I had to write more from the heart than the head when … Read the rest →
Copyright 2001 by Shirley Kawa-Jump If you’re anything like me as a writer, you’re a mostly right-brained soul who has a few problems being organized and keeping track of all that STUFF. There are files and snippets of ideas and articles you want to read and advice you want to follow. Slips of paper with … Read the rest →
The Art of Perseverance or How to Quit Writing and End up on the Bestseller Lists Many years ago, I spoke at a writer’s group in Pennsylvania. I was a little daunted. It was the biggest group I’d ever spoken to, and many of the writers there had credentials I could only dream of having. … Read the rest →
