Question Everything

I love questions. They are powerful tools. They invite reflection. They invite answers. They allow us to expand our vision. They help us to see more clearly.

A good question can improve communication. It can invite a friend to share his/her heart with you. It can invite a spouse to share his/her thoughts with you. A good question can expand a relationship and take it to a deeper level.

Questions can help us evaluate our thinking, our living, our understanding. They can help us focus on our dreams and see things we haven’t noticed before. They can enlarge us, encourage us, empower us.

A writer needs to question everything.

Is the plot working? Are the characters real? Is my title inviting? Is the dialogue believable? Are my words interesting? Is my beginning engaging? Is my ending satisfying? What is the takeaway? Are there unnecessary words or chapters? Does every scene contribute to the story? Is this my best work?

Questions can change your writing, and your life.

Question everything.

Linda Garner

Enjoy the View

We're getting new windows. It's exciting. They started the work yesterday. The look is nice, but I especially love the view. Everything looks crisper...clearer. I have a new outlook. A new perspective.

It reminds me of point of view in writing. Point of vew is the unmistakeable privilege of getting inside a character's head and taking a snapshot of his or her thoughts.

This rarely happens in TV or movies. It is a writer's best friend. I think of it as my secret weapon.

Good writing usually has just one point of view. Some writers use more, but it's hard to pull off. You need more than a point and click camera for this.

When point of view is muddy the writing is not clear. Clean up the point of view and the writing becomes sharper. The story comes into focus. It's like getting new windows. Everything clears up.

Point and click. Enjoy the view.

Now if only these new windows would wash themselves.

Linda Garner