I have a Faulkner quote hanging in the top right corner of my vision as I sit at my desk, and it’s come to be something I live my life by.
My Achilles Heels
There’s a reason they say write drunk, edit sober. Your inhibitions should be down while you’re writing and doubled while you’re editing.
Psh.
That Book Ouch Moment
Diversity in race, sexuality, socioeconomic background and more in YA books plays a fundamental role in providing young people with a sense of identity, belonging and validity.
Most of the time.
13 Stages of Writing a Novel
Be a writer, they said. It will be easy, they said.
So Where Do the Stories Come From, I Wonder
I do not have a half-naked Greek Goddess of muse and creativity lying across my bed. Inspiration doesn’t work like that.
Conflict, Inside and Out
External conflict on its own rarely stands up as being big enough, emotional enough or important enough. Yes, external factors are important in keeping a story moving, but internal factors are the driving force behind character arc and development, and our pathways to making two-dimensional, imaginary characters human. Real.
Don’t Start at the Beginning
As wonderful as my character’s tragic backstory or hushed conversation might be, none of that matters an iota if I don’t get the beginning right.
The Write Light
With the exception of four years I spent away at college, I have lived in this room permanently for over twelve years, and my favorite thing about it has always been the light.
What’s the Deal With Audiobooks?
But many years have passed and my love for the romance audiobook has grown out of control. Here are some of the reasons I swear by audiobooks.
New World, Old Tech
Despite the capacity to write a story on a dozen different devices and applications, I will always print my manuscripts.