Writing

BLAM!

by Frank Roche on July 2, 2012

in Writing

I’m going to put my writing energies over the next two weeks into writing a novel. I’ll give you the first few lines:

All us St. James Boys were standing around in Frankie’s kitchen. His mom wasn’t home and his dad was passed out drunk.

Richard twirled the .38 revolver on the countertop. We all touched it. Felt the weight of it.

Then Richard pulled the trigger.

When the gun went off, we scattered. Ran home. Hid.

What were we supposed to do? We were eight years old.

Frankie got shot through the liver.

But no one said a word.

Trap Door

by Frank Roche on June 28, 2012

in Writing

“There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself.”
― Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

The New Math

by Frank Roche on June 25, 2012

in Writing

I wish I had written 2 + 2 = 3.

Here’s a little taste:

Supposing you were stranded alone in a forest at night.

It’s freezing cold, it’s raining, and there’s a biting wind.

You’ve got no clothes, you’re soaking wet and starving hungry.

All you can think of is getting indoors out of the rain, into the dry.

Then you see a little wooden hut in the forest.

You knock on the door, they invite you in.

They put you by the roaring fire.

They dry you off, they give you nice, warm fluffy clothes to wear.

They give you hot, thick soup to drink.

That’s the happiest moment of your life.

It’s a feeling of pure bliss.

You’ve got everything you desired.

But wait a minute.

If the little cabin made you that happy, wouldn’t a bigger cabin make you even happier?

Wouldn’t more clothes increase your happiness even further?

How about a bigger fire and more food?

The Best Free Writing Advice Ever

by Frank Roche on June 21, 2012

in Writing

I never get asked for writing advice.

Or any advice for that matter.

That’s why I’m so good at dispensing it.

Remember, free advice is worth the price you pay.

So, this writing advice plus $3.50

Won’t get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

But it will get you readers.

Here it is…

…wait for it…

WRITE SHORTER.

Frank the KnowHR Guy

by Frank Roche on May 29, 2012

in Frank's World, Writing

Hi there…if you got this on email, it means you are a subscriber to KnowHR.

It’s me, Frank Roche the KnowHR Guy.

I’m not Bill Nye the Science Guy. (Alas)

Or Tim the Tool Man Taylor. (Aarrgh)

But my writing about HR hasn’t changed.

Just where I write it.

I moved back over here — it gives me a little more latitude.

I called this Frank+HR.

It’s me…and me talking about HR.

You can opt out of this if you don’t like it…

Just click that little “Unsubscribe” button.

I’ll miss you.

Truly, I will.

If you stay, I’ll be entertaining.

Or at least try to be.

Drop me a note to tell me what you think.

Cheers.

← Previous Entries