Sometimes I wish I were Stephen King. Not because of his best-seller, best-beloved author status, or because he can write full time while most of us need day jobs. (Although all of those things would be nice.) It’s because back when he was getting rejection letters, it was the 1970s. He got so many that… Read more »
We all get in funks while writing. When we hit one it’s like a fire slowly dying, deprived of oxygen. When we sit at the same location day after day, it can close in and suffocate the fresh air that tickles our brains and revives our senses. One of the best ways to recharge your… Read more »
Graphic novels are enjoying a great deal of popularity these days, with some of them taking home some significant awards. El Deafo by Cece Bell, was named a Newbery Honor Book in 2015, the first ever graphic novel to win this distinction. The graphic novel Smile, by Raina Telgemeier, was an American Library Association Notable… Read more »
One of the most common questions writers get asked is: “How do you come up with your ideas?” Creativity is the backbone of storytelling because without creative ideas there are no stories. You want to have as many ideas, or “sparks” as I call them, as possible. But how do you come up with those… Read more »
“Once you understand that there are problems just waiting to be solved, once you realize that you have all the tools and all the permission you need, then opportunities to contribute abound. No one is going to pick you. Pick yourself.” – Seth Godin Starting something new (a blog, a business, an email list, etc.), like… Read more »
I have a confession: I’ve been bitten by the adult coloring book “bug.” Granted that I only have one such book right now, but coloring has become a new favorite hobby recently. And judging from the phenomenal worldwide success of adult coloring books last year, millions of other people have fallen in love again with… Read more »
The first requirement of a love scene is that it forwards the plot and character developments in the story. Especially in a scene of real intimacy, the farther the characters go in their physical relationship, the more it affects them. But, truth time, how can sex move a plot? Apply it to real life: if… Read more »
It’s not just you. Starting a blog can be knee-knocking scary—even when you know it can help you get published, build an audience of eager readers, and build your credibility as a writer. Because what will you write about? What if you don’t have time? And why should anybody listen to you when a bajillion successful bloggers out there have been… Read more »
Whether we call it bravery or courage, today’s subject is defined as “the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous.” It allows us to find the moral or mental strength to face our fears and make unthinkable choices. An admirable trait, indeed – and one that’s often reflected at a higher… Read more »
Imagine this. You wake up one dewy Saturday morning, sit down with your laptop and a hot cup of Earl Grey to check your email, and you find this: a green light for that story you pitched the editor last week, fan emails full of questions and enthusiastic thank yous, and an invitation to interview for… Read more »
