Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott's Blog

When you feel creatively adrift. There comes a time when the flame that once fueled our stories begins to fade. The writing desire exists, but the creative energy feels distant, muffled. I call this the seasonal shift. Whether you are in the spring, summer, fall or winter of your writing life, the creative energy that propels your writing can diminish – even to the point of blockage. My thoughts of “I want to write” were coupled with “Why isn’t my...

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The following is derived from Dan Harmon’s Story Circle. Below, the  “Circle” is applied to the book “Carrie” by Stephen King. Note: I’ve added a 9th TWIST to the Story Circle, 3 Act Outline, and Scene-by-Scene. CARRIE, Story Circle: A Character’s Zone of Comfort or Familiarity: Carrie White is a shy, awkward teenager living under the control of her fanatically religious mother and bullied by her peers at school. They Desire / Want Something: Carrie just wants to be accepted—socially...

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Nested Quotation Marks – What are they?  This “lesson” originated from my attempt to explain nested quotes or proper punctuation use to one of my clients. This isn’t easy, sometimes. In fact, I confused myself. Until I thought of what quotes do. They hold, or hug, our words. When we speak, the Big Hug, double quotes are used, encasing all of our words, including any nested quotes. However, when repeating quotes from other sources, there is a rule to distinguish...

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The following is derived from Dan Harmon’s Story Circle. Below, the  “Circle” is applied to the book “Night of the Living Dummy” by RL Stine. Note: in true form to Mr. Stine, I have included a 9th, and final TWIST in the Story Circle. Night of the Living Dummy, Story Circle: A Character’s Zone of Comfort or Familiarity: Twin sisters Lindy and Kris live a normal suburban life. They bicker like siblings do, but things are mostly ordinary. They Desire...

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Night Terrors, a short story by Suzanne Parrott 1905 Chapter 1 The train rattled southward, windows framing an endless, shifting tableau of fertile valleys and farmland bordered by the distant, snow-tipped Wasatch Mountains. Soon, the greenery faded into the stark white emptiness of the salt flats, a glimmering mirage stretching to the horizon. Jagged peaks and arid basins pierced the landscape, painting the earth in shades of ochre and gray. As the sun slipped toward the western horizon, stark silhouettes...

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Why Did I Write “Night Terrors?” First, there was a short story contest—and I wanted to enter. Second, I had been having night terrors for over a year. These weren’t just bad dreams. I hadn’t watched any scary movies or eaten pizza at midnight. They just… started. Sure, I’ve had vivid dreams before, but I always knew they were dreams. These experiences were different—terrifying in a way that felt real. I began reviewing my daily routine to figure out what...

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I’m excited to share a growing collection of stock images, one-of-a-kind book covers, and DIY design resources—created to help you publish with confidence. After 40+ years of working in publishing, design, and creative development, I’m excited to open up a new collection of resources built especially for: Self-published authors Book designers Creatives looking to speed up their process without sacrificing quality You’ll now find stock images, book templates, and exclusive original book covers available only through my shop. Whether you’re...

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Free AI generated illustrations Just in time for Valentine’s Day. Free to use, but a credit to SFPDesigns is appreciated. Click the image and then Right click the image and save! Ellie found the biggest, shiniest apple and beamed as if she had just discovered the secret to happiness. She giggled, swinging her tiny feet above the ground. After all, when the world gives you apples —savor its sweetness. (c) SFP DESIGNS images generated with Midjourney

I was reading one of my favorite wordsmiths, KM Weiland, and came across this nugget of wisdom on editing. As we all know, editing is a vital part of the writing process, but sometimes, we “miss things” that disrupt the flow of the story. Article: Getting Better at Self-Editing Your Fiction – 8 Vital Steps to Follow by Ali Luke https://www.helpingwritersbecomeautho... Happy Tuesday, Everyone, KM Weiland puts it perfectly: “The thing about good editing is that really it’s good writing.”...

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PART 1: Prep Guide for Authors Dear Readers, As the adage goes, knowing is half the battle. This rings particularly true when it comes to planning your holiday book sales. A successful seasonal campaign hinges on a deep understanding of the holiday market. A surge in consumer spending is characteristic of this season, and as an author, you need to be primed to seize this opportunity. This article will explore three vital strategies to better understand and leverage the holiday...

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