Have you ever been afflicted with the dreaded DWTW syndrome? It seems to come from nowhere and hits you quite suddenly leaving you feeling drained, sluggish, and devoid of all creative thoughts. You have stories calling you and yet even when you sit down to attempt to write, the DWTW seems to paralyze your fingers, […]
5 Things I Learned from Writing Book Series
If you are planning or thinking about writing a book series, I want to spare you from the difficulties I have come across, and help you better prepare for your journey. 1. Always write down any character names. You don’t know when you’ll need them again. (And I mean any names.) 2. If your series […]
Writing “Rules”?
Please excuse me while I climb up on my soapbox again. This is a topic that, as a writing teacher, drives me nuts! Have you ever read someone’s writing “rules” that makes you a little puzzled because either someone else tells you the exact opposite of what you learned somewhere else, or you have read […]
3 Things Every Story Needs
If you have ever written a story you might know these, but how important do you think they really are? No matter what story you are writing, no matter how long or short it is, there are three key parts to a story. If you are missing one of them your story will be lacking […]
6 Research Tips
I’ve had many people ask me how I do my research and what I use. Here are 6 (+1 bonus) things that I’ve found very helpful when I’m writing historical fiction. Biographies – Not everyone enjoys biographies, but a good one about someone who lived during the time you want to write about can really […]
Research? Reading?
Does this sound familiar? The story line is incredible. The book, impossible to put down. As you turn page after page, the minutes slip by unnoticed. Food means nothing to you as you feel the emotions of the characters, share their struggles, and revel in their joys. The clock strikes the hour as your reach […]
Pocket Calendars and . . . Writing?
Do you ever get free pocket sized calendars in the mail? Have you ever used them with your writing? Okay, I haven’t lost it. Not really, anyway. And I haven’t turned from a pantser to a planner. So, what exactly do I do with these calendars? Let me show you. They don’t have to be […]
5 Reasons I Don’t Write Science Fiction
*I wanted to added a note here.* This post is simply my own thoughts, convictions, and opinions. You can take them or leave them. I really don’t care. Science Fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that has been called the “literature of ideas”. It typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced […]
5 Reasons I Don’t Write Cozy Mysteries
*I wanted to added a note here.* This post is simply my own thoughts, convictions, and opinions. You can take them or leave them. I really don’t care. What is a Cozy Mystery? After looking at several sources, the general consensus is that such a book is a murder mystery that focuses more on […]
5 Reasons I Don’t Write Romance
*I wanted to added a note here.* This post is simply my own thoughts, convictions, and opinions. You can take them or leave them. I really don’t care. When it comes to Romance, there is a wide range of thoughts. Some people call books Romance if there is even the smallest hint of romance […]