I’ve been struggling with writing, have reduced my output to notes jotted in my sketchbook. I haven’t heard a line of poetry in my head (how my poems often emerge) in weeks. My mind is stuffed with facts about COVID-19, and DIY recipes for hand sanitizer and face masks. One way I’ve found to settle… Read more »
In previous articles, I’ve discussed some author branding basics, including key questions to ask when building your brand and different ways you can build your brand, even when you’re super busy. Remember, your brand is more than just a snazzy logo or website. It represents who you are as a writer. It’s your values, your… Read more »
Writing a book is a long process–especially if you’re writing part-time. Even if you’re a fast writer, it can still take weeks or months to finish a book. Considering it takes so long to write a book, wouldn’t it be great to learn new ways to get more done every day? Especially when you’re not… Read more »
Last time on Speculations, I offered a brief introduction to the tarot. This time, I’ve read and will briefly review five books on tarot for writers, so that you can decide which reference(s), if any, you might want to add to your writing craft library. I’ve decided to present them in chronological order by date… Read more »
Editing is often cited as the most difficult part of the writing process. Having taken our unique ideas and formed them into sentences, how do we now evaluate the result and determine what’s good from what needs changing? Some changes will be obvious—usually from the squiggly red line underneath it. That’s right. Today we’re talking… Read more »
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser at heart, you probably recognize that an unwieldy, unclear, or unstable structure can be a death sentence for your novel. Even if you’re writing a book defined by its quirky characters or experimental style, most readers simply won’t have the patience to get through it unless the structure… Read more »
Writing a novel is a lengthy process, so it’s understandable that our inspiration can start to drift along the way. Inspiration often goes hand in hand with motivation – when we’re feeling excited and enthusiastic about our WIP the words flow more easily and the writing sessions fly by. Likewise, when we find ourselves feeling… Read more »
What our characters eat depends on when and where they lived, their position in society, and, to some extent, what they were doing. So getting the food details right is one way we can fully immerse readers in our story. In the space of this article, I can’t begin to cover global evolution of foodstuffs… Read more »
Way back in 2009, five major events deeply altered me. In April, my beloved grandmother died. Six weeks later, I married my now-husband. Over the following summer, my husband lost a grandmother on one side and a grandfather on the other. And the following fall, my husband and I bought our first home. While two… Read more »
There are over six million Kindle books published on Amazon. Only a small percentage will be bestsellers. As an author, it’s up to you to make your book stand out. Sure, marketing and branding help you sell more books, but the best way to sell books is to write the best one possible. In this… Read more »
