Warning: insane writers only need apply. “They brought him no sweet lullabies, indeed, the heavy air of the stifling little room sang only with the slight ringing of ghost trumpets, each calling him toward an inescapable future.” — Averil, pondering a sword and a gift from a magical being, in Other Gods Okay — IContinue reading “Ten Ways to Improve One Sentence”
Category Archives: Writing
How Often Should You Publish a Book?
Or perhaps the real question is, how often should you self publish a book? If you’re like me, you use to think of book releases as these nebulous, once-in-a-blue-moon happenings (when the stars aligned and the book publishers were feeling frisky). But now, if you’re a self published author, you are only constrained by how fastContinue reading “How Often Should You Publish a Book?”
The Novelist’s To-Do List for Greatness
Today I finished the first draft of my third novel, ‘Fall Street’ (claps on the back, applause, and confetti here). Now, the more times I do this the easier it gets, but I still remember being a nervous newbie who couldn’t imagine writing a whole book. So with that in mind, here’s my very simpleContinue reading “The Novelist’s To-Do List for Greatness”
Follow Me and I’ll Follow You: Social Media and Self Promotion
Great post from Rob White. The idea of seeing people as ‘dollar signs with arms and legs’ is exactly what I don’t like about online promotion. But I think there is a better, classier way to connect with readers and I think Rob’s showing us the way — Follow Me and I’ll Follow You:Continue reading “Follow Me and I’ll Follow You: Social Media and Self Promotion”
Indie Authors You Should Know
Check out this interesting entry from Rob White’s page — Indie Authors You Should Know.
Female Characters — Why God, Why Is It So Hard?
I am a woman. I have an amazing sister who’s a woman. My mother was one of my biggest influences. I believe women can do anything and people are a lot more alike than they are different. SO, WHY ARE FEMALE CHARACTERS STILL SUCH A CHALLENGE TO WRITE? I’ve thought a lot about this questionContinue reading “Female Characters — Why God, Why Is It So Hard?”
How to Make Your Characters Come Alive
I love everything about writing. I love words, I love plots, but above all — I love characters. Now, the picture above may be cheating a little bit, because some (or most) of the characters on Deadwood were based on real people. But that doesn’t matter. I defy you to find a more well-rounded, intriguing,Continue reading “How to Make Your Characters Come Alive”
Tips for the Newborn Writer
When did I become a writer? Truthfully, I don’t know. I am just the kid who never stopped telling stories. I was homeschooled, out in the Athens, GA countryside, making up tales (many involving pretending I was a wild horse). Later, as a teenager, I changed to people-based stories. Also, my sister and I wouldContinue reading “Tips for the Newborn Writer”
How Long Should We Wait to Start Living Our Dreams?
I told my friend Nancy, the poet, that when I had four novels finished, I thought I could become a ‘professional novelist’. She asked, ‘Shouldn’t you be able to do that with one book?’ Therein lies an interesting question — How Long Should We Wait to Start Living Our Dreams? Now, for the dream ofContinue reading “How Long Should We Wait to Start Living Our Dreams?”
AMAZON DESCRIPTIONS FOR YOUR NOVEL (PART THREE OF THREE)
Now we come to the tricky part — actually writing a good description. I say ‘good’ because I think some writers do themselves harm by either spending months on it, or giving up and calling a half-done description ‘good enough’. I picked five Amazon listings sort of at random, ones that I thought were quiteContinue reading “AMAZON DESCRIPTIONS FOR YOUR NOVEL (PART THREE OF THREE)”
Stay Extraordinary 