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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
From my writing desk’s window this morning, I see dull brown grass trimmed with splotches of melting snow, bare trees, and a gray sky. January is hardly the most inspiring time of year, at least not for those of us living in a seasonal climate. Yet that cold and boring outside has its upside: it… Read more »
I got back from Australia this week, and have been dealing with a combination of jetlag, busy-ness and grief at no longer being among the sunshine and kangaroos. The weirdest part of jet lag? I will be exhausted all day and then wide awake at night. I’ve basically become a vampire. Of course, this is… Read more »
You are WRITER. You are a wizard who takes funny-shaped squiggles on the page and weaves them into stories that mean something. Your words have the potential to tug at people’s emotions and even change their minds. This is magic in its purest form. Other people go through life completely oblivious to the magic that… Read more »
Self-censorship is a tricky topic for those of us who write for children and youth. People have very strong opinions about what they think children should be exposed to in stories—and not everyone agrees about it. Fiction may not be technically true, but the best fiction still tells the truth. What truth do you want… Read more »
I’m always on the lookout for writing apps that will boost my productivity and make all my creative troubles disappear. You know what I’m talking about: that perfect app that combines the power of a PC with the form-meets-function beauty of a Mac. Oh, and it writes your book for you too. Yeah, right. The… Read more »
