Author: Ace Baker

Writer’s Digest Mystery…Solved! 7th place in Literary Fiction!

Jul 26, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, short stories, writer ace baker

Ok, while I had hoped it might rank even higher, my short story, “The High Price of Fish,” won 7th place in the 82nd Writer’s Digest Competition. There were a heavy number of entries, so I’m quite happy about this! I’ve really been concentrating on reading great short fiction writers this year and learning technique…
Opening paragraphs #002: Add a bit of mystery!

Jul 26, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Let’s jump right into today’s opening paragraph by taking a look at the start of Allegra Goodman’s “La Vita Nuova”: The day her fiance left, Amanda went walking in the Colonial cemetery off Garden Street. The gravestones were so worn that she could hardly read them. They were melting away into the weedy grass.…
Writer’s Digest: I won! So what’s the problem?

Jul 25, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in Uncategorized

Ok, so here’s the problem. I won something in this competition (their big one, the one I’ve never placed in before). And then I got an e-mail that said something like, Again, congratulations on your winning entry. Here’s how you access your free subscription, free this, free that, and so on. Again? I DIDN’T…
Opening paragraphs #001: Strength AND vulnerability, at the same time!

Jul 25, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, novels, power punch, short stories, writing technique

For today’s starting paragraph, I decided to go with one that packs quite a punch. First, read how Megan Mayhew Bergman begins “Housewifely Arts”: I am my own housewife, my own breadwinner. I make lunches and change light bulbs. I kiss bruises and kill copperheads from the backyard creek with a steel hoe. I change…
Poetry from newspapers!

Jul 24, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, poetry, writing technique

Well, after all our serious study of Cody Klippenstein’s amazing fiction, it’s time to take a bit of a break and take a lighter look at that daily newspaper that’s in your hands while you’re drinking your morning coffee… First, take a peek at what I did with one headline that I found…
Aimee Pilz: Twitter Champion!

Jul 24, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in champion

Twitter Champ: Aimee Pilz @awakeningaimee If you’re a writer and you’re on Twitter, you’ve likely met Aimee Pilz. She is, without a doubt, THE most positive person who tweets. I see how she improves the mood of many DAILY, so I thought I’d say thank you through a few words of my own: AWAKENING…
Cody Klippenstein #005: A gentle touch with personification…

Jul 23, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Is it day five already? Our final day of looking at some of the writing technique Cody Klippenstein uses in “Case Studies in Ascension”? It’s gone by quickly. For today, I decided to end with a tool familiar to most every writer: personification. Let’s read the passage first: Neither Obaa-san nor I have been…
Cody Klippenstein #004: Long sentences for description…

Jul 22, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, Uncategorized, writing technique

In the past three days, we’ve seen pathos, simplicity, soft sounds, euphony, hard sounds, cacophony, and connotation in Cody Klippenstein’s award-winning story, “Case Studies in Ascension.” Today, we’ll see another technique she makes use of that puts the reader THERE in the moment, visualizing what’s happening in the story. Here’s the example, first: I…
Cody Klippenstein #003: Connotation and cacophony!

Jul 21, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, power punch, writing technique

Yesterday, we saw simplicity, softness, and single-syllable words in a romantic passage in Klippenstein’s “Case Studies in Ascension.” Today, we’re going to see the tougher side of this young, talented writer. While she may have used short, soft words to describe a loving moment, look what she does as we near the END…
Cody Klippenstein #002: Simplicity, softness, and single-syllable words

Jul 20, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Before we get to today’s lesson, here are a few of the accolades for Cody Klippenstein and her work that I’m aware of: 2011 She’s a finalist for Malahat’s Open Season Awards 2011 She wins The Fiddlehead’s fiction contest 2011 She wins Prism International’s short story contest 2012 She wins Malahat’s Open Season Awards for…