Life isn’t art – life is life. But photographs of life can be art. Paintings can be art. Poems can be art. And novels can be art with impact.

In any genre.

Art with impact requires attention, opinion, technique, and refinement.

• Attention: Before you can write about something, you have to notice it, possibly study it, probably observe it, definitely think about it.

• Opinion: A natural byproduct of thinking about it is forming opinions. Opinions form the cores of your book or poem. If you write about it, you think it worthy of note. Characters you create reflect your opinions about humanity and different types of people. The ways you establish mood, the types of conflict you choose, the settings you choose to explore. All of these are based on your opinions and assumptions.

• Technique: You express your opinions through technique. Beats, plot points, dialogue, transitions, action and reaction scenes, there are so many techniques at so many levels of your story. Technique gives you ways to express your ideas that are recognizable by the reader.

• Refine: No photograph, painting, poem, or story can include everything. Part of what makes a piece yours is what you choose to include and leave out. Thee ways your piece balances scope and depth.