Seven tips that have helped shape my writing career—and may help you with yours too! 1. Engaging passion To be an author you must have something to say, a story you believe in, passionately. Nothing less than passionate belief in your subject will carry you through periods of self-doubt and dejection. Once you have decided […]
May 11, 2012 by 23 Comments CharactersBecoming Your Character
This guest post is by G.G. Vandagriff. Can butterflies do somersaults? Where did that thought come from? Have you ever noticed that just before you fall asleep, your mind leaps from ordered thought into a realm that makes no earthly sense? From there it is but a step to your dream life. Natalie Goldberg, in her wonderful resource for writers Writing […]
July 24, 2011 by 34 Comments Writing InspirationWhat The Story Knows Best Really Means
When writers start talking about the autonomy of their stories, non-writers are likely to give us looks that range from confused to concerned, especially when our comments include the following: “The story knows best.” Or— “Nothing was working for me until I quit fighting my story and let it do what it wanted.” Or— “I […]
March 27, 2011 by 41 Comments Editing Your NovelWhy Writers Should Trust Their Story Instinct
Have you ever found yourself wishing for a writing mentor—someone with the savvy, experience, generosity, and overall story instinct to reach down and guide you in your own writing journey? Well, today’s your lucky day! I’m about to introduce you to the wisest writing mentor you’re ever likely to meet. Yourself. Yep, you read right. […]
October 21, 2010 by 2 Comments Writing Inspiration5 Ways to Tap Subconscious Creativity
Today, I’m honored to be hosted on the Conquering Writer’s Block & Summoning Inspiration blog tour by Elizabeth Craig. Be sure to stop by her blog to read the guest post “Tapping Subconscious Creativity.” Below is a sneak peek: Our work (and our lives) would be pretty useless without the logical sides of our brains. […]
August 29, 2010 by 76 Comments Editing Your NovelShould You Edit As You Go?
Authors are passionately divided on the subject of editing as you go. Should you write your first draft as fast as possible, dumping your creativity on the page while it’s still smoking hot, never stopping to tweak so much as a misspelled word until you’ve got it all safely down on paper? Or should you […]
July 25, 2010 by 30 Comments Writing InspirationWhap! Pow! Zing!—How Can You Tell if Your Story Has Emotional Resonance?
The magic ingredient in fiction is that special something that socks readers right in the gut and leaves them breathless with joy or sorrow (or maybe wabi-sabi, the Japanese view of beauty in imperfection). We’ve all read books that were perfectly executed, but somehow lacked that magic. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed the word craft […]
July 4, 2010 by 69 Comments Prose5 Pros and Cons of Using the Thesaurus
Writers are surprisingly divided over the value of using the thesaurus. Some consider it their secret weapon; others regard it as a crutch. So which is it? Stephen King’s opinion, from his 1988 essay “Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully—in Ten Minutes” is now well known: Any word you have to hunt for […]
June 20, 2010 by 50 Comments Writing LifeLearn to Embrace Your Writing Ignorance
I’ve been telling stories since I was two years old. I’ve been writing stories since I was twelve. I have four published novels (and two more scheduled) to my name. I know enough about the craft to write this blog, numerous guest posts, a podcast, and eight writing how-to books and counting. Sounds like I’ve really […]
May 30, 2010 by 68 Comments Writing Inspiration8 Ways Writing Longhand Amps Your Muse
Whenever I crack open a hefty volume of Dickens, I’m inevitably overwhelmed by the realization this entire 800-page novel was composed by writing longhand. The writer’s bump on my middle finger throbs just thinking about it. Without doubt, our 21st-century technologic additions are a decided blessing. But we’ve also lost some things along the road to […]
