It's past midnight and you're dying for sleep, but lie awake with your characters screaming to get out. Dear writer, you're not alone. You've created the story of your heart, and you send it into the world, only to earn a growing list of pass letters. Dear writer, you're not alone. You're tired and wonder … Continue reading Dear Writer, You’re not Alone
Long Game
Trying New Genres – What I Learned
I spent a few years ignoring timelines and ignoring the honest WANT to keep up with having books under contract, and I experimented. I wrote a thriller/horror with a supernatural/sci-fi style twist (think X-Files) and started another one or two in that same genre, and I wrote a MG novel with a hint of magic, … Continue reading Trying New Genres – What I Learned
Four Letter Word
FOUR LETTER WORD and what it takes to get a story right. I met Christa Desir sometime in 2012, and I feel SO incredibly lucky to know her for about a million reasons. I started writing an intro to her publication story of this book, but she says it all much better, so here's the … Continue reading Four Letter Word
YAY! I made it! Oh, wait…
A frenzy of self-publishing followed Amazon's program to allow authors to publish their own works. A bit slowly at first, and then an explosion in 2011 and 2012, which is still exploding. And no, Amazon wasn't the only company, but they were, and still are, the largest. Some of the big names to come out … Continue reading YAY! I made it! Oh, wait…
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
On The Other Side of Fear
Yeah, I'm late to see THIS VIDEO. I don't care. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, the final thought was - "On the other side of your maximum fear, are the best things in life." And I've been thinking about how this pertains to writing. And how so many of us writers, … Continue reading On The Other Side of Fear
DON’T PANIC: The Agent Edition
I know, I know... Telling someone to "Stop panicking" is like telling a person to stop aging, or to stop being hot while walking the strip in Vegas. In August. Here are a few things I see writers panic about when dealing with agents, and here's why I think you should not panic in these … Continue reading DON’T PANIC: The Agent Edition
A Few Fav Blurb/Query Helps
This is a post I've meant to do for AGES. I'm sure I'll come back and edit this post as I find new ways to write blurbs, but these are my favs... for now. Helping someone else with their blurb or query is simple. Working one up for myself? Not as simple. There was a blissful … Continue reading A Few Fav Blurb/Query Helps
