Tag Archives: writing

October 10

Philadelphia’s Murals: The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Changes the Face of Philly

From my column at the Washington Times Communities: One of the things I loved the most about living near Philadelphia for a few years—along with Pat’s cheese steaks and the Italian Market— were the city’s ubiquitous murals.  read more: ArbiterNews.com Related articles Mural Painting at Made in America (centeredonart.wordpress.com) Smart Element Added To Mural Arts […]

October 08

Writing Advice from Abelardo Castillo

  Abelardo Castillo (Buenos Aires, 1935) is an Argentinian writer, novelist, essayist, and playwright.  He is also well known for his short stories including “Ernesto’s Mother“.  An amateur boxer in his youth, Castillo worked as director of several literary magazines including El Escarabajo de Oro and El Ornitorrinco.  Following are a few tips from his book Ser Escritor (Being […]

September 29

10 Great Writing Prompts

This is a sample of some of the writing prompts available at lasesanaonwriting.wordpress.com Writing Prompt # 001 Picture prompt: Start a story or scene from a description of the picture above. Writing Prompt # 002 Art prompt: Write a story about what is going in the painting. Go back and write the story from the […]

September 27

“A Few Words About Short Stories,” Augusto Monterroso

“A Few Words About Short Stories,” Augusto Monterroso Born in Teguscigalpa, Honduras, Augusto Monterroso (1921- 2003) is mainly known as a Guatemalan writer.  In his early life in Guatemala city, where his family relocated in 1936, Monterroso began to publish his short stories and was one of the founders of El Espectador with several other […]

16 Rules for writing by Jorge Luis Borges

16 Rules for writing by Jorge Luis Borges In one of their many collaborative endeavors, Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares planned to write a story with Silvina Ocampo set in France.  The story never came to be, but what does survive from those days is Borges’ ironic list of 16 pieces of advice […]

Using Colorful Adjectives When Writing Fiction or Non-Fiction

Using Colorful Adjectives When Writing Fiction or Non-Fiction  By using more descriptive words for colors, you will paint a more accurate picture for your readers.  Instead of saying the sea was “blue,” you can say it was cerulean with streaks of slate. YELLOW RED BLUE PURPLE GREEN BROWN Gold Crimson Midnight Violet Olive Chocolate Citrine Magenta Navy Lavender Moss […]

Use more precise adjectives in your writing

      Use more precise adjectives in your writing  In writing, you can more accurate adjectives than “pretty” or “ugly” to describe people and things.  Use these adjectives to better paint a picture for your readers.   Pretty Ugly Large Small  Intensity         Strong Gorgeous Repulsive Huge Minute   Splendid Hideous […]

August 28

Advice on writing a novel by Mario Vargas Llosa

Mario Vargas Llosa (1936, Perú) was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature in recognition of his remarkable career and body of work as a writer.  The Academy awarded him the Prize “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.”  He has written over 30 […]

August 28

The Writer’s Decalogue: Ten* suggestions for writers, Augusto Monterroso

Augusto Monterroso (1921-2003) was most well known for his very short stories.  His story, “The Dinosaur,” is often referred to as the shortest short story in literature.  In Spanish, it has just seven words: Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí. When he awoke, the dinosaur was still there. Other stories, like “The Eclipse” are […]

August 27

Jorge Luis Borges On Writing Short Stories: El Zahir

Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) is one of the best-known Latin American writers.  It is difficult to summarize Borges in a few sentences.  The best way to get to know Borges is to read his stories.  Many think he was a genius.  His short stories are unique and let the reader step away from reality for […]