OMG, y’all! It’s here!! I am so excited to introduce you to the Revision Road Map. I know how lost a writer can feel during a revision. I have been that lost. That feeling of just wanting someone to tell you what to do already. That feeling of the end getting farther and farther away. Continue reading “The Revision Road Map is Here!”
Tag Archives: fiction
Fail in Order to Create
I saw this amazing clip from Paul McCartney about the song Blackbird, one of my all time favorites. Did you catch what he said? He and John, while messing around with Bach and got some of the song wrong because they didn’t know the scond half.. That bit of “wrong” highlighted the chords he wasContinue reading “Fail in Order to Create”
Spring Into Writing!
Spring is springing where I live in central NC. The daffodils and tulips have come and gone. The pear trees are snowing down on street corners–beautiful despite their dead fish aroma. And the pine pollen is fit to bursting (we’re at slight dusting right now but I imagine we’ll be at full on yellow cloudContinue reading “Spring Into Writing!”
The Trick to Mastering Show Don’t Tell In Your Fiction Writing: Be Specific
The number one piece of feedback I give writers regardless of where they are in the writing process is: BE SPECIFIC Often, a sentence or a scene or the protagonist’s stakes are entirely too vague. Vague writing only leaves readers confused, disengaged, or having to fill in the blanks based on their own experiences whichContinue reading “The Trick to Mastering Show Don’t Tell In Your Fiction Writing: Be Specific”
Creating Emotional Resonance in Your Novel
I posted this quote on Instagram Monday. I had just heard of the passing of someone who was dear to me and all my memories were about how that person made me feel–joyful, engaged, confident, prepared. The details of exactly how he did this or when or what we were doing at the time wereContinue reading “Creating Emotional Resonance in Your Novel”
Finding Time to Write Your Novel
At the end of January I gave a talk at a local women’s empowerment conference about the importance of creativity in our lives, regardless of whether it is our career or not. In fact, I’d argue that it needn’t be our careers. Creating for creating’s sake is a beautiful endeavor. I hate that our capitalistContinue reading “Finding Time to Write Your Novel”
The Goldilocks of Novel Planning
This week on Instagram, I talked about planning. I’m starting a new manuscript this week. Although “starting” is a bit of a misnomer. I am starting the physical manuscript, but I’ve been working on the story since the writing retreat I went to in October. I left that retreat with a kernel of an idea.Continue reading “The Goldilocks of Novel Planning”
Finding the Writing Routine that Works for YOUR Work
Writing is about perseverance. You have to keep going. The work only gets done if you keep writing. The revision only gets done by revising. The querying is only successful if you keep sending them out. This week, I posted a quote from Neil Gaiman over on Instagram: “This is how you do it: youContinue reading “Finding the Writing Routine that Works for YOUR Work”