Because there is a fine line between being alone to write and being lonely.
Dear New Authors (I Did It So You Don’t Have To)
Here’s what you need to know about being a writer. You have to get up. Because no matter how long it takes you, no matter how battle-weary you feel, no matter how many times you’ve cried this year, if you don’t get up, that’s game over.
Runaway Writer
Because I am a mad scientist writer with my hand in several pots all at the same time, I need to be organized. Really freaking organized.
Seven Ways to Get Back Up After That Really Hard Rejection
So how do we get back up one more time than we are pushed down? Well, after too many rejection letters and setbacks to count, I’ve found a few good tips and tricks to standing a little bit taller.
Sensory Overload
Show. Don’t tell.
Every person who has ever put pen to paper has heard this line. Don’t tell us we are in Paris, give us the acrid scent of the Seine mixing with buttery croissants, give us the crunch of rough, dusty cobblestoned streets beneath our feet, give us the taste of acrylics on the air from freshly painted street art.
The Book Was Better, But I’ll Still Watch It
I’m a firm believer that the original medium is always the best medium. If a book is turned into a film, there will be something lost in translation, and vice versa. But while it might not always resemble the original story to the letter, I still enjoy many books-turned-films. Here are some of my favorites.
Back to Basics
Think about the book you are writing. Think about the book you want to write. Picture it in your mind, the characters, the setting, the themes, the mood. Is it gritty? Is it lush? Is it joyful? Find yourself in that place, that world, surrounded by those characters. Now, answer this question in one sentence.
SO YOU WANT TO DO NANO?
First of all, congrats! Your interest in doing National Novel Writing Month shows an excitement for writing and storytelling and a willingness to rise to the challenge of writing a whole book in a month!
I haven’t attempted NaNo in three years, but I’ll be doing it with you this year! My NaNo project is the third book in a current series, and I look forward to trying the challenge again, especially after all that I’ve learned as a writer and NaNo-er!
Character Interviews – More Than Just Talking to Yourself
There is no right or wrong way to go about an interview, but I’m going to share some of my favorite techniques for better understanding, empathizing and, eventually, sharing my characters with the world at large.
Writing Your Way Out
I may have a little insight into how to reconstruct your book while you are standing in it. Here are a few tips and tricks to starting over from the inside out.
