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Last week, I took my husband up on a challenge/offer of great love. He would take care of everything except going to work for me, I would edit my finished manuscript. It was an incredible process and a learning experience for me. First, I learned how I write. I’d already done a lot of work on the first two acts. So, I learned that when I edit, I have to do one pass for structure. I have to look at the whole thing, what’s happening, the arc of that act, how it fits in the story, what the characters are doing and how they’re movingRead More →

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I bought GMC by Debra Dixon. It’s genius, I’d heard, and it’s true. It’s like having someone explain brain surgery in a book you can read in a day or two, and you finish and say, “Duh.” Before I go on, I’d like to point out that used copies can go for more then $40 on Amazon. I love Amazon, nothing against Amazon, but you can purchase the book from the publisher for $19.95. Worth every dime, btw. If you really want to know how useful it is, just google GMC and Dixon. You’ll find thousands of hits. That’s how widely accepted, adopted, and appreciatedRead More →

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I really don’t know if I can or not. The jury is out, but sources say they are leaning toward can’t, at least today. But the title of this blog should read, “You’re a big whiny wussy.” Or so my husband told me. That’s why I love him. Sometimes, you need a kick in the pants, whether you want one or not. I read once, on a forum, and I can’t find it, I’d pay money if I could find it… this person posted a quote from a fellow writer friend. And I may be getting this wrong, but this is how (I believe) itRead More →

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I am here to talk about fear, my friends. I always wanted to be a writer. Mostly I flirted with the idea, considering a degree in journalism or writing a scene here or there. And then, I realized I was being a chicken about the one thing I’d like to do most in my life, the one thing that would provide me with, at least, satisfaction of a life fulfilled. I told myself I didn’t have to be a wonderful writer. No one’s a wonderful writer, at first. And that was freeing, for me. Suddenly, I could write. And if I felt it weren’t great,Read More →

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I have finished the first rewrite on the first act of my fist novel. All those firsts, they just kind of sing disaster, don’t they? And yet, oh my god. I felt the same rush I did finishing the thing. The first act, about 140 pages, needed a lot of work. It was mainly written back when I had little to no clue. At all. There was infodump! There were scenes with NO conflict! None. Just… here’s an event. And another. And another. They serve no purpose, but… there they are! Most importantly, though, I was extremely intimidated by doing those rewrites. I just didn’tRead More →

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My site disappeared for a few days. I wrote my very friendly hosts and asked what the problem might be. Seems my server died and went to pc heaven. If I had a backup of the site, they’d be happy to restore it for me. Um, a what? So. They somehow found a backup for me from about six months ago, and really that was above and beyond. But one of my graphics lost all her little kilobytes. She is kaput. And I have no backup of that either. Yes, I know. Shocking. So, for now, I’ve made a placeholder one. But… maybe this placeRead More →

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I’m editing. Yes, still. And I’m having one of those moments, you know, when you want to smack yourself on the forehead, but instead of saying, “You could’ve had a V8!” you say, “How could you not have known that?!” Backstory. Oh, sure, I had backstory. I knew all about my heroine’s childhood, her parents, how she lost her virginity, and how she lost her true love. She’s 30. That’s up to about 20. I had even less for my hero. See, here’s what got me: the story starts when the action begins. That’s one of those Rules. Notice the capital R? Rules. The RulesRead More →

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I’m editing. I have (once again) hit writer’s block and decided this would be the perfect time to edit… or totally rip apart… my first novel. Except, of course, I still don’t feel like writing. So I’m pushing my way through. And feeling like a petulant two-year-old: “But it’s hard!” It’s so scary, looking at something like this again, something I spent years working on, something I was never really sure I would finish. And, it’s finished. Except it needs a lot of work. I’ve learned so much, and I guess that’s good, but it makes it so much easier to see what I didRead More →

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I know, in a logical manner, that writer’s block isn’t a real, insurmountable thing. It’s a lot of possible twists, in your work and in your life, that manifests as, “I don’t want to.” Or sometimes, “I can’t. I really, really think maybe… I can’t!” But what it comes down to is your imagination, or maybe your muse, telling you, “This isn’t working for me.” Here’s what I do when uninspiration strikes: 1. Read through it. Read what you’ve already written. Read your notes. Make more notes. It won’t be long before your heroine will say, “You know I’d never do that, right?” Or somethingRead More →

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I know, ink diva sounds a pit pretentious. But, I think we should all be divas, at least in our own minds. So monumentally great at whatever we’re passionate about, we reserve the right to, at least, think diva thoughts. So, I’m a diva. So are you. Take a moment to enjoy your fabulousness. But, you’re now wondering, why ink? Maybe you’re not wondering that, but in my head, you are. And in my head, I get to be the boss. Sometimes. So, why ink? Who writes with pen and paper anymore when backspace is so much less messy than correction fluid? I do. NotRead More →