Is your writing is in a slump? Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms? Flat Characters Blah Descriptions Stilted Conversation No Desire to Write Sluggish Writing Sessions Boring Plots Dry Action Scenes If so, then you might need the advice of some friends of mine. But do not fear, they know about writers and […]
5 Reasons Why I Write Historical Fiction
Just to make this clear, these are reasons why I write this genre, not why everyone does or should. First of all, let’s define what constitutes “Historical Fiction” books. Historical fiction is a story set in the past, often during a significant time period. In historical fiction, the time period is an important part of […]
Writing Advice – Descriptions
I’ve had many people over the years ask how I manage to make them feel hot or cold or hungry, or whatever the characters are feeling when they read my stories. I’ve had people ask for help on learning to write good descriptions that don’t leave the reader yawning or wondering what on earth the […]
5 Reasons Why I Write Mysteries
Just to make this clear, these are reasons why I write this genre, not why everyone does or should. I decided to look up what Mystery books were and here’s what I discovered. Something not understood; a piece of fiction dealing usually with the solution of a mysterious crime. I have to say that is […]
Change it Up!
Have you ever heard those words shouted at a hockey game? Have you watched some players suddenly leave the ice and take a seat on the bench while others vault over the sides to join the game? I’ve only seen it happen in movies because where I live, well, we don’t have any hockey teams. […]
What It’s Like to be a Pantser
Have you ever wondered what being a pantser might be like? Or maybe you are wondering what on earth a pantser is! Let me define a pantser first. Pantser:Someone who writes “by the seat of their pants”. They don’t plan their stories ahead of time. They might have a basic plot, but it’s also just […]
5 Things I Learned from Remodeling
Many of you might know that since July of 2021 I’ve been busy not with writing, but with remodeling some of our house. It’s been hard, challenging, fun, tiring, exciting, stressful, and rewarding. But along the way, I’ve learned some things. And some things that just might be helpful for writers. 1– Gut It If […]
DWTW Syndrome
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 […]