Before railroad crossings had flashing lights and mechanical gates, signs warned motorists to “Stop, Look, Listen.” That old-time advice now is often repeated, and it applies in this Writing Craft lesson which considers two of our concerns when creating scenes in a life story: Dialogue and Description. Dialogue:  On the surface, writing dialogue might seem…

(The “Deep Structure” or “Six Big Moments”) THE HOOK: The catalyst or “inciting incident.” It radically changes the main character’s life and sets it on a course toward a significant goal or desire.  (The strong call that Betty and Bill feel to serve in overseas mission). PLOT POINT 1:  An incident or event that takes…

THE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE  in Betty Enns’ Living Our Prayer: A Four-Year African Adventure into Faith (The “Deep Structure” or “Six Big Moments”) THE HOOK: The catalyst or “inciting incident.” It radically changes the main character’s life and sets it on a course toward a significant goal or desire.  (The strong call that Betty and Bill…

by Larry Danielson A young writer answered his telephone and heard a voice with an over-the-top Swedish accent. “I’m calling from Sweden.  On behalf of the Stockholm committee, I want to say you have been awarded the Nobel Prize…for Literature.” ‘Yeah, sure, you betcha. And I suppose this is Old King Olaf. Who is this…

by Larry Danielson So there I was, finally looking at the real picture.   I’d flown some 12 hours–from Winnipeg to Toronto to Frankfurt to Brussels—and now I was in the Musée des Beaux-Arts—looking at a picture of flight….failed flight. This was “The Fall of Icarus,” done by the famous 15th century Flemish painter Peter…