You need to stand out, and that means swallowing your fear (and your pride) and showing all of you, even the hidden parts. via The Babbling Flow of a Fledgling Scribbler: On Fear and Baring Your Soul.Read More →
Emotional sex. Note that I am NOT coining the “love scene” euphemism. I do this deliberately-for now-though by the end, I’m hoping that’s exactly what sex will be, making love: sweet, hot, emotive sex that is unforgettable. And this can be done. This wonderful article (link @ the end) discusses making your sex scenes emotional (and overcoming the fear of writing the dreaded sex scene). Making sex emotional does NOT mean the characters have to be in love already. What it means is, they have to have inner conflict, tension, insecurities or physical or emotional limitations that add to the emotional wallop of the actRead More →
There are as many ways to plan out a novel as there are writers. Each writer goes about it a different way. via Planning, Outlining, and Organizing Your Novel – Or Not! « Word Sharpeners. This is an excellent article on the many ways to plot your novel, even if you write by the seat of your pants (pantser!).Read More →
I wrote a novel and finished it well over a year-and-a-half ago. I submitted it to Carina Press (cross your fingers for me–still haven’t heard anything*). It was a stand-alone book, but I knew when I wrote it there were two related books to be written. I jotted down notes as they came to me and even wrote a loose outline. And then I moved on to the next story. Because why write sequels to a book that may never be published? Except, now that I’ve sucked it up and found some guts, I’m subbing it to agents and the previously mentioned publisher. In myRead More →
At some point, when one realizes one wants to be a writer–a real, true, working writer–it then becomes apparent that one must write. Even when inspiration has flipped you off and it’s the last thing you want to do. What do I do? I make a go of it with pen and paper. I write very informally, almost as if I’m talking to myself. (“So, this is the part where character 1 finds out what character 2 has really been up to. She’s pissed and more than a little hurt…”–that sort of thing.) But I really, really want to know: how do you do it? Read More →
I hate character charts. I see them everywhere. I’ve bought books on character development that had 10 page(!) character charts. Sample questions: Astrological sign? Who cares? I don’t check my horoscope. I mean, I guess, if I had a character who was all into that, it might matter to them. I guess, I’m saying if it doesn’t matter to my character, why should it matter to me? Political leanings? Unless my character is a politician or an activist or a lobbyist, why do I need to know this? Will her views on global warming affect her reaction when she’s forced into a marriage ofRead More →
The only true creative aspect of writing is the first draft. That’s when it’s coming straight from your head and your heart, a direct tapping of the unconscious. The rest is donkey work. It is, however, donkey work that must be done. EVAN HUNTER Thanks to Advice To Writers.Read More →
A very inspiring post by author (and superintern, I hear) Mandy Hubbard about her road to publication. The difference between a published author and an unpublished one is one day. It only takes one day, one moment, for your whole world to shift. I firmly believe that if you work hard at improving your craft and you simply do not give up, your day will come.Read More →
It’s like the opposite of Write Or Die, but I think it would work just as well. I can’t tell you, because my fabulous Mac is down and out. But I’d recommend. OmmWriter. Try it. A review from MakeUseOf.com. When I came across OmmWriter, I was intrigued. The concept took writing productivity, mixed in some solitude and added a dash of zen. The results? A beeeautiful and calming full-screen, distraction-free writing application with its own soundtrack.Read More →
Designed using Brigsby Premium. Powered by WordPress.