I am heading to the beach for a writing retreat with some dear writing friends next week. I am excited and desperately looking forward to it. Beach. Words. Writers. What’s not to love? I’m querying my most recent project and have had enough distance from it to know that it’s time for something new. ThisContinue reading “When the Work of Writing Isn’t Writing”
Tag Archives: Writing Community
The Importance of Finding Your Story’s Heart
What is at the heart of your story? What do you want a reader to take away from your book? What is your story’s point? Sometimes, when I’m deep in the weeds of writing or stymied by a revision problem, the point of my story may seem pointless. The heart of my story seems toContinue reading “The Importance of Finding Your Story’s Heart”
Write What You Know
This week is a tough one in my world. My father passed away unexpectedly on October 2, 2018. Exactly one week before his 70th birthday on October 9th. Each year, we get to relive that awful, horrible week. Even if we make it through the first anniversary day relatively unscathed (which I have yet toContinue reading “Write What You Know”
The Importance of Your Novel’s Opening Pages on Your Novel’s Ending
While journalism and novel writing are two different animals, both need to hook the reader and impart important information from the get-go. Journalism (news articles, magazines, broadcast news scripts) stories are told in inverted pyramid style with the who, what, when, where, and why in what’s called the lede–the first sentence or graph. The storyContinue reading “The Importance of Your Novel’s Opening Pages on Your Novel’s Ending”
Why We Need to Step Out of Our Comfort Zones to Grow as Writers
This fall, I am stepping out of my comfort zone. A lot. I am going to a large writing conference in two weeks and while the conference part isn’t inherently out of character, the stress of extroverting for that many days in a row is intimidating. I know I can, I know I will loveContinue reading “Why We Need to Step Out of Our Comfort Zones to Grow as Writers”
When the World Got in the Way of My Writing
It’s been a week. My 17 year old son went back to school this week. Junior year. It’s a biggie. Did I mention he went back to school as a driver? (I’m fine. Totally fine. Hold on, let me just check my tracking app one more time to see if he’s left the school yet…)Continue reading “When the World Got in the Way of My Writing”
A Writer’s Perseverance
My son turned 17 earlier this month and this week, he finally got his driver’s license. It has been a story of perseverance and patience. COVID meant a cancellation in driver’s ed classes that pivoted to virtual with a backlog of folks on the wait list to get into a class. When he was finallyContinue reading “A Writer’s Perseverance”
What is Really Keeping You From Writing?
We all have a myriad of reasons why we aren’t getting the writing done. Some require a large dose of grace to put the work down until a better time arrives (illness, death, moving, etc…). But other roadblocks are barriers we put up ourselves. Ah writing, where the writer is both the protagonist and antagonist.Continue reading “What is Really Keeping You From Writing?”
Is Comparison Stealing Your Writing Joy?
Do you compare your writing successes or failures to other writers? I do. (I’m working on it.) To some extent, I think, this comparison is natural. We’re working alone on our manuscripts and suddenly get our Publisher’s Marketplace daily update or a friend posts about their latest book or that person in your writing groupContinue reading “Is Comparison Stealing Your Writing Joy?”
5 Ways My PR Skills Helped Me Write a Novel
I grew up wanting to be a writer. It was the dream of my heart the moment I realized that the name on the front of the stories I read under the big, bold title was the name of a PERSON. A real life person whose job it was to write that story down. EachContinue reading “5 Ways My PR Skills Helped Me Write a Novel”