When I think of a great writer, I think of someone in a quiet house with a daily ritual that involves writing for hours at a time. When I was a teen I would write from 8-10pm most nights of the week. It was awesome. Is that practical for me anymore? Eh, no. While this […]
A Writerly Round-Up
This fine Friday, I wanted to share with you some fabulous resources and articles I ran across this week. Enjoy! 1. How to Keep Your Author’s Voice Consistent Across Genres by Victoria Minks This article pinpoints six things to consider when analyzing your author “voice” and then gives recommendations on how to carry that over […]
How to Draw Maps and Floor Plans for Your Story
Have you ever struggled with the layout of a setting in your story? Have you ever gotten a character lost? Or written something that isn’t physically possible? (“She turned to the left and entered the next room…” Oh, wait, the door was to her right. SHE’S WALKING THROUGH WALLS NOW, FOLKS!) If you missed it, […]
Zillow: It’s Not Just for Buying!
Guest post by author EJ McCay I’m a visual person. I learn visually, think visually, and speak visually. Say wha? Speak visually? Someone asks me directions and I say, “Know where United is? Take a left there.” See? Visually. I think I’m a pretty decent writer. What I am not is an architect. I can’t do […]
When Your Invention Has a Birthday
Once upon a time… …there was a girl who had her whole life ahead of her and serious doubts she’d ever get through all the writing ideas in her head. They assailed her night and day, but mostly in the middle of the night or the middle of a shower. They didn’t stop coming and, […]
Let’s Talk Dialogue: When to Break the Rules
Guest post by author EJ McCay Good dialogue is a wonderful thing. It can grab a reader and pull them into your story. Your characters feel real when the dialogue feels real. Bad dialogue can stifle your flow. It can make your entire work feel unbelievable. It can kill your characters, pace, and story. […]
An Agglomeration of Writing Tools
Well, I wrote up this article, then immediately Paul and Perry posted articles about writing tools–those for free. So now, you just get the full spectrum of opinions on writing. tools. 🙂 Now that you’ve read all three…comment and share your thoughts on writing tools! While it’s true that “all you need to write is […]
Book Review: Characters and Viewpoint
(Affiliate link) Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card Vivid and memorable characters aren’t born: they have to be made This book is a set of tools: literary crowbars, chisels, mallets, pliers and tongs. Use them to pry, chip, yank and sift good characters out of the place where they live in your imagination. Award-winning author Orson […]
5 Self-Publishing Links to Bookmark {Updated}
Pronoun – “Pronoun is a free publishing platform where authors can create, sell, and promote their books. Our mission: to build a new model for publishing that puts authors first. We are passionate about author success, which is why many of our tools are completely free to use by authors publishing with other services or traditionally […]
Book Review: 5 Steps to a Better Blurb
Title: 5 Steps to Better Blurbs Written By: Julie C. Gilbert Genre: Writing Helps/Non-fiction Recommended Ages: Any Introduction: If you have trouble with writing blurbs (and what author doesn’t?), you need to read this book.