Tuesday, November 29, 2011

MGOC Contributor: Mary SanGiovanni

MARY SANGIOVANNI


EXCERPT from "Dark and Story Nights: Mood and Atmosphere in Horror" by Mary SanGiovanni in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

It is often argued that horror is not a genre so much as a pervasive emotion which characterizes a piece of fiction. These writers advise one to write the story that best conveys the message the writer wishes to get across. Should themes in that story be conveyed through human reactions to situations of extreme stress or anxiety, should its subtle symbolism invoke primal fight or flight instincts, and should its narrative build tension, then the genre of the story is often labeled "horror." A successful horror story need not rely on the tropes of the genre to work as a horror story. It simply must make the proper use of mood and atmosphere to convey its message.

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Mary SanGiovanni is the author of the Bram Stoker nominated novel The Hollower and its sequel Found You, both from Leisure Books, and Thrall from Thunderstorm Books. Over the last decade, various periodicals and anthologies have published her short fiction, some of which was collected in Under Cover of Night. She co-edited the GSHW anthology Dark Territories. Mary received a Master's in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She was a member of Horror Writers Association and the Garden State Horror Writers Association, and is currently a member of The Authors Guild and Pennwriters. Find her online at http://marysangi.wordpress.com.

Bid on a Signed Hardcover of MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT

We are offering a signed hardcover copy of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT in the huge fundraising auction to benefit writer and artist Terri Windling. There are so many awesome prizes to bid on from great writers in the industry like Cory Doctrow, Cherie Priest, Elizabeth Bear, Catherynne Valente, Holly Black, Tamora Pierce...and many, many more!

You can bid on items and find out more about Terri and the support she has been receiving from her fellow writers and artists at the Magick 4 Terri LiveJournal page. Just follow this link:
http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/32552.html

posted by heidi

Thursday, November 10, 2011

MGOC Contributor: David Shifren


DAVID SHIFREN


EXCERPT from "Talking the Talk in Crime (and Other) Fiction" by David Shifren in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

For dialogue to sound real it’s no secret that cops had better sound like cops, lawyers like lawyers and doctors like doctors, but never is this more important than when members of a profession talk with each other. When writing such scenes you walk a fine line between including enough technical jargon to sound authentic but not so much you lose lay readers.

What’s a writer to do?

Unfortunately the tried-and-true method for testing dialogue – reading it aloud and trusting your ear to flag what doesn’t fly – won’t always work when your characters are speaking the lingo and acronyms of their professional language.

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David Shifren has been teaching for SHU’s graduate writing program for six years and teaching for the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned an MFA in Fiction Writing, since 1989. His published books include traditional westerns à la Louis L’Amour (this despite Shifren's having grown up in Brooklyn) and three mystery novels for a longtime best-selling young adult series. He was awarded a 2006 Pennsylvania State Council on the Arts Screenwriting Fellowship and has had three screenplays optioned. Currently he is working on a police procedural based on his experiences as a police officer in Western Pennsylvania.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Many Genres: Named One of This Year's 10 Terrific Writing Books by The Writer Magazine

We are so happy to announce that Many Genres, One Craft:Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction (Headline Books, Inc.) was named #5 in 10 of This Year's Terrific Writing Books by The Writer Magazine in their December 2011 issue!

Mike and Heidi would like to congratulate all the contributors for making this truly the only writing guide you'll ever need.

posted by heidi