When I made my first attempt at NaNoWriMo, I was living in Florence and was quite literally inspired every time I turned a corner. As I walked down the quaint streets, beautiful sentences would write themselves in my head. One might assume, then, that my writing reflected the splendor of the city; elegant as the… Read more »
The writing life is a constant rollercoaster of ups and downs. One day you’re struck with inspiration and don’t dare to pry your hands away from the keyboard even if the house is on fire. Other days, you doubt every single word you wrote the day before. Whether it’s the inspiration to create, the confidence… Read more »
So, you want to build a writer website? Good decision! Luckily for you, website building is easier than ever, thanks to big developments in this area. You can create a simple website in a matter of clicks – not something that we could recommend though. But wait, where is the catch? Naturally, in order to… Read more »
I’m a fairly new fiction writer, but I’ve been a journalist for decades. You would think I’d have some sort of writing routine down, some alchemy that I draw upon from my non-fiction world when I slip into my fiction realm. You would be wrong. I’m used to winging it, writing in my car and… Read more »
We writers can edit and revise until we think our story is the best it can possibly be. But no matter how great we are at self-editing, every piece of work can benefit from another set of eyes, and every writer can benefit from working with an editor. Another person’s red pen has the potential… Read more »
You’ve spent months revising and editing your manuscript. Now comes one of the most exciting and nerve-racking stages in the writing process: getting feedback. Yes, sending your story to beta-readers and asking for their thoughts on what works and what needs improvement. And while any constructive comments can help, it’s a good idea to let… Read more »
A few years back I published a couple of non-fiction books with the largest independent publishing house in America, Kensington. After the second book, I had exhausted what I had to say on the subject of how Americans funeralize their dead and moved into fiction. Unfortunately, the market for genre fiction was a bit softer… Read more »
It’s hard to believe the year is almost over! The new year is often a time to take stock, re-evaluate, and look forward to the year ahead. It’s also a time that many of us set resolutions. Here’s a few tips for making the most of this time and setting yourself up for success in… Read more »
The end of the year is a perfect time for reflection. It can be really easy to focus only on what’s to come — what new goals we’re setting, what new accomplishments we’d like to achieve–and not look at what we’ve done. I think this can be particularly true for writers– we can have a… Read more »
Wasting time puts our writing on the back burner. It simmers there as we reorganize an already immaculate pantry, neatly handprint our grocery list, or update that oh-so-very-important calendar to remember birthdays of family and friends. Time wasters. But, tell me your birthdate. I’ll take the time and add it to my list. My motivation… Read more »
