Here's the wonderful and terrible thing about creative work: YOU COULD MAKE IT BIG. One painting, one song, one poem, one video, one...book...could change your entire life. Twilight, Harry Potter, Where the Crawdads Sing, To Kill a Mockingbird, and so many others that I could go on for a LONG time. An author's breakout novel, … Continue reading The Crippling Possibility of Success
Fly Like An Eagle
STOP APOLOGIZING
I see people apologizing for their genre, what they write, where or how they're published... Or, maybe apologizing isn't the right word. The right word is dismissing their accomplishments. STOP THIS. If you weren't comparing yourself to someone else, would you be using phrases like, "Oh, I just do (insert thing here)..." or "It's not … Continue reading STOP APOLOGIZING
A Little Late for an Intro.
Yeah, it's a little late for an intro, but I've rarely been good at following rules. I grew up with the kind of dad who used a lighter to detect possible gas leaks in gas lines. A dad who said things like, “They let electricians do it! Of course you can wire your house!” Because … Continue reading A Little Late for an Intro.
what the BL*RB to write next
You wanna write books that'll sell? Sell them to yourself first. The more years I spend writing, the more I see the benefits of having a workable pitch before I start writing, and the more I beg others to do the same. This helps keep the focus of the project as narrow as it … Continue reading what the BL*RB to write next
Identity Crisis
When I first began writing, I had no notions of writing YA. I was going to be the next Nora Roberts or Sophie Kinsella. I hadn't decided quite yet. And then I read Sarah Addison Allen, and I was terrified I'd never be able to write like that (I won't, and that's ok. We're different). … Continue reading Identity Crisis
the HONEYMOON phase
If you're a writer, you probably know how this applies to writing - That delightful time when you've found a shiny new idea and the character is solid in your mind and the words are flowing, and it's MAGIC. And you really don't want to do anything else or work on anything else because, hello, … Continue reading the HONEYMOON phase
Spreading Writerly Wings
2016 was a year of experimentation for me, writing and publishing wise. (yes, this post is a bit of a ME post...) I've branched into new areas of publishing by interning for a literary agency I have massive amounts of respect for. Yes, I'm doing this specifically to become a lit agent, but I'm taking … Continue reading Spreading Writerly Wings
Do NOT Apologize for Your Genre
OK. I'm going to keep this simple, because I like simple. 1. There are people who love reading in every genre. Don't do them the disrespect of looking down on a genre - even your own. 2. Publishing is HARD. Having novels come out into the world is HARD. The part that should be fun … Continue reading Do NOT Apologize for Your Genre
Music and Writing Books
Think of all the new hits you've heard in your lifetime that you loved from the first time you heard them. You end up singing along to the chorus before your first listen is over. There's something familiar about the chord progression, OR the beat, OR the lyrics OR a combination of the three. But … Continue reading Music and Writing Books
