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”
Tag Archives: novel
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”
Seriously Funny Writing
If I’m being totally honest I’ve never been a funny person. I’ve dreamed of being the one telling an epic story of embarrassment and having the whole room erupt in laughter. Never happened, not once. So I gave up on trying to be funny. Sure it happens on occasion, I get lucky and make someoneContinueContinue reading “Seriously Funny Writing”
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”
Example of Editor Awsomeness
If you haven’t taken advantage of a professional editor, it’s amazing what you can learn especially if you are trying to break in. I’d like to share an excerpt from my first chapter and I will cringe every time this post gets a view, so embarrassing. Here is my pre-edit from page one and I feltContinueContinue reading “Example of Editor Awsomeness”
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”
Goldilocks Gets It Just Write
Goldilocks takes so much crap for wanting to be “just right.” The perfectly warm oatmeal. The wonderfully spacious bed. Sure she’s breaking and entering into the Bear’s home, but she’s looking for perfection. And isn’t that what every writer is aiming for? We want enough detail to immerse the reader but not too much weContinueContinue reading “Goldilocks Gets It Just Write”
What degree should a writer get?
A business degree. What? Lets set aside the creative writing degrees, publishing workshops, and English majors a moment and really dig into this. If you are a writer it is inherently because: You like to read. You enjoy writing. You are fairly creative. All these things do not require a degree and you do themContinueContinue reading “What degree should a writer get?”
The Land of Tub: Map Creation
For many sci-fi and fantasy writers it can be tough to think of new worlds. Even if you can vividly picture it in your mind, getting it to the readers can create pitfalls and potholes on an already bumpy ride. First mountains, and oh wait, mountains need valleys so lets add those… now naturally withContinueContinue reading “The Land of Tub: Map Creation”
Please Vote: Character Name Selection
Alright, I need a little help. I’m trying to decide on the last name for Haylee’s love interest in my book. Most votes will decide it and go into the final version of my book, The Bonaparte Complex: Glimmers of Truth. A brief bio of the character: Jonas is tall, bearded, and a high schoolContinueContinue reading “Please Vote: Character Name Selection”
The Price is Write: Habits to Write By
Daily habits are key to any lifestyle, especially a creative one. Whether you get up before everyone else or find time crammed between events we all have habits that keep us on track. For me this means writing while Lets Make a Deal and The Price is Right is on television. For some reason IContinueContinue reading “The Price is Write: Habits to Write By”
Holy Homesteading 