Aggghhh!!! Another rejection, personal too, so close yet so unbelievably out of reach. Have you felt this? Where did you go next? My current state of pregnancy makes a nice shot of tequila or deep glass of wine not an option. So what does a sober person do with rejection? Here are the stages I foundContinueContinue reading “A Writer’s Phases of Rejection- a Mini Memoir”
Tag Archives: book
5 Publishers of Kid Lit, No Agent Required
I have a few small stories I’ve been attempting to sell through the magazine market. Let’s be real though kid lit magazines are few and far between. Once you’ve checked word counts against what you’ve written the pickings get even slimmer. So next thought was to go through an agent but unless you’re an author/illustrator most agentsContinueContinue reading “5 Publishers of Kid Lit, No Agent Required”
100 Posts and Counting: aka The Benefits of Blogging
While our combined Quest Type posts are topping over 250, this post will officially be my 100th. Part of me is so excited to still be doing this and another part of me thinks I maybe type too much. Regardless, I hope you are getting as much out of these posts as I am. ButContinueContinue reading “100 Posts and Counting: aka The Benefits of Blogging”
How Writing Groups Can Help You
Guest Post by Lori M. Myers “I just want to thank…” No, this isn’t an Oscar speech. It’s a shout out to my writing groups on my book’s dedication page. My success and persistence as a writer wouldn’t be possible without them. So let me ask you this: Are you shy about sharing your workContinueContinue reading “How Writing Groups Can Help You”
Lend Me Your Ear: Podcasts for Writers
Having a toddler I’ve found my time to actually read has dwindled to nothing and it’s so frustrating. What I have found time for however is audio, while writing, while cooking, and any other feasible time I can squeak in 30-ish minutes. Not only have I found podcasts that offer helpful advise but also toContinueContinue reading “Lend Me Your Ear: Podcasts for Writers”
Short Story Backtrack
I’m totally 100% dedicated to my new book. But then I found this anthology I want to submit to. So now what to do? Do I pause my new fantasy to go down a rabbit hole into speculative historical or do I continue on and ignore the muse in the corner yelling at me? That’sContinueContinue reading “Short Story Backtrack”
7 Ways to Find Inspiration
A Guest Post by Theresa Braun I started wondering where it was that I get my inspiration when I write. Here, I’ve come up with a list of things that have triggered my creativity. My hope is that you might find some additional ways to spark your own. Travel: Going to new places in oneContinueContinue reading “7 Ways to Find Inspiration”
Setting Up Setting
This is how the conversation in my head went as I sat reading Setting by Bickham over my holiday break: Chapter 1- Story setting is important. Chapter 5- Super-duper important. End of Book- Crap, I’ve got to re-examine everything… Setting: the surroundings or environment of anything. For a book this can be anything from aContinueContinue reading “Setting Up Setting”
Book Looks: Why Character Looks Matter
I recently read a Twitter post stating they were changing there main character’s appearance to “average” to make her more “relatable” for female readers. This is the moment I wish for an unlike button. It’s not that book characters shouldn’t be average looking, by all means I’d appreciate it if more books were realistic. However,ContinueContinue reading “Book Looks: Why Character Looks Matter”
Starting Fresh- A new book journey
After getting my first fully edited book done and out there I’ve started working on something new. I will not be writing the same way this time. This time I will be intentional about all of it. This time I started with a question, something I needed to create an answer to in the formContinueContinue reading “Starting Fresh- A new book journey”
Competition versus Contest
Have you ever felt no matter how hard you work at it your writing it never seems to come out on top? Agents reject your prose, your Twitter pitches stagnate unheard, and editors point out a lack of sparkle. Take heart, writing is a contest not a competition. According to Dictionary.com here is the definitionContinueContinue reading “Competition versus Contest”
Kill Your Darlings: Revising for Exclusion
Okay so I didn’t actually kill off any of my characters, not yet at least. But they do get hurt. What we really need to focus on is not letting your personal goals, agenda, or outline mess up what your characters are really like or would really do. Just because you have a favorite partContinueContinue reading “Kill Your Darlings: Revising for Exclusion”
Capturing Ancient Faces: Character Desctiptions for Writers
Somehow ancient sculptors are able to translate a person’s face, expression, life, into each piece of marble. Yet, somehow, when we write we limit ourselves to eyes, hair and height. A person is so much more. Real people have a soul and getting that onto your pages and into your characters is one of theContinueContinue reading “Capturing Ancient Faces: Character Desctiptions for Writers”
Bookshelf Transformation
Too many books are squirreled away in the crevasses of my home. It’s high time they had a place of there own. Not just a shelf- a space- a bookspace (it should be a word!). I’ve picked my biggest living room wall (nearly 20 feet) and a contractor. I saved up my dimes after gettingContinueContinue reading “Bookshelf Transformation”
Plotting with Cell Phones: A Writer’s Guide
I’m sure you’ve heard it a fair number of times, “I write this genre/time because there are no smart phones to deal with.” It’s a tough fact, smart phones can kill your plot with a phone call or quick Google search. Here are a few examples. What’s a writer to do? You either fall into oneContinueContinue reading “Plotting with Cell Phones: A Writer’s Guide”
Mr. McGregor’s Scarecrow
A tutorial on how to make Mr. McGregor’s scarecrow. All my life I have loved The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. It is a childhood classic that I have read to all my children and now to my grand children. It is out of love for this author and book series that IContinueContinue reading “Mr. McGregor’s Scarecrow”
Finding Voice
First find the tiny seed of a four leaf clover. Since you can’t tell the difference between three and four leaf clover seeds plant them all and wait. As they grow and display leaves count them. If you didn’t get a rare four leaf in this batch start over. At least that’s what it feels likeContinueContinue reading “Finding Voice”
Writer Resources- My Go To List
We all have places online we have stumbled upon and cling to on a daily or weekly basis. These are people we look up to and are eager to learn from. My list represents industry professionals that drop gems of information every week. All you have to do it come pick them up. Not 100% of everything isContinueContinue reading “Writer Resources- My Go To List”
Problem: The Slow Start
While starting off slow and easy is generally preferred with most things in life, it is the opposite when it comes to a good book. Readers want complete and total immersion from page one! It’s a tall order. I admit my book starts off slow. I wanted to build tension and let the reader experience whatContinueContinue reading “Problem: The Slow Start”
Query Letter Conundrum
I recently had the opportunity to attend a query letter boot camp. Thanks to Caffeinated Press for hosting, it was extremely insightful. I did bring a query letter with me, and I ignorantly thought it was perfect. I now know better. I’d like to share some of the feedback I got with you. Hopefully, youContinueContinue reading “Query Letter Conundrum”
Holy Homesteading 