Lessons from my First Developmental Edit
I have been working on plot and story structure diligently the last few weeks and I wanted to stop and record some of the highlights in...
When Excitement Becomes Fear
I have been working on the first draft of a book for some time, and as some of you know it's been an exciting time to be done with that...
Inspiration Engines
So I'm experiencing the mind / body connection in a new way. When I am using my whole body in an activity, I get ideas. Really good ones....
Why can't I write?
Okay, the coffee is perfect, the lighting perfect, the location perfect, the computer perfect, the bird noises outside my window and...
Are There Things I Can Only Begin After the End?
So here I am, at the end of my first draft and I am finally.... FINALLY able to see my main character... mostly. It's been a journey and...
Checking in with my Inner Writer
So I'm on that long journey from first draft through editing and it will take a while - especially since it's my first time. I am still...
Letting Filler Words Fall out of your Writing
We all know that when leaves fall in a yard during autumn it's time to get to work. While a yard doesn't necessarily look terrible with...
Long Haul Editing
Getting a behemoth like a novel manuscript ready for 'beta readers' - think of them as beta testers of your product - is a daunting...
Quirky Writers
How do you add quirks to your character? I personally tend toward dark stories so I like my quirks to add a bit of joyful distraction...
Creating Valuable Complexity in Characters
So I have been thinking about 'common errors' among inexperienced writers; especially the idea that writers often try to go after...