I couldn’t have had a better writer to talk about humor than Stuart R. West #guestpost Click To Tweet He’s not only funny in his books, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten an email from him that didn’t make me laugh. The man knows humor. If you doubt me, just look at the titles […]
How Do You Treat Yourself?
My treat to myself is sitting down with my book. #amreading Click To Tweet The utmost luxury is to have a few hours alone with my book, my cat, and maybe a cup of tea or coffee. Once I’ve accomplished all my work goals, all my home goals ,and all my other self-imposed goals, I […]
Rainy Days and Sundays–Learning the Discipline of Writing
On beautiful crisp days when the sun is shining, it’s often hard to pull out the computer and plug away at that masterpiece. Our friends are going out biking or hiking up a magnificent mountain. Rainy days are a much better alternative. But, if you only write when it rains, it’s going to take you […]
What Hooks You?
I’ve often wondered what might hook my readers #amreading Click To Tweet Is it the characters? The plot? Unanswered questions? What kinds of things hook you and keep you reading? For me the characters are what keep me turning the pages. Some of the books I read have little plot, not much action, but I […]
Writers Helping Writers
Before I published my first novel, I contacted two previously published authors. One told me he never read another writer’s work. The other refused to help me in any way. I found these responses both disheartening and sad. Why is it writers refuse to help newbies? How are newbies ever going to break through without […]
Tips for Coming Up with the Perfect Title
My recent WIP has me scratching my head for a title #amwriting #title Click To Tweet For some reason it’s not jumping off the page. But then again, now that I think about it, I’ve never had a book title jump off the page. I usually agonize over various versions before I settle on that […]
Tips to Deal with the Let-Down When Your Novel is Finished
How do you feel once you’ve finished a novel? #amwriting Click To Tweet Okay, so you might say, “I’m never finished.” I feel that way as well. It seems there’s always tweaking. But, once the novel is sent off, gone, out of your reach, how do you feel? Good? At a loss? Jumping up and […]
The Woes of Writing that First Chapter
Don’t you wish you had more time to capture readers than the first chapter? #amwriting Click To Tweet In the old days, that was the case. Back when Trollop and Jane Austen were writing, they had at least two chapters before readers gave up on them. Many of today’s literary writers have the luxury of […]
What Are Beta Readers and How to Find Them?
Okay, so you’ve finished your first draft. You’ve done everything you can with it. You’ve read it and re-read it to the point of total exhaustion. In fact you’ve gone over it so many times, that you’re not sure you’re reading the words on the page or if you have the pages memorized. What’s next? […]
What About the Setting? Tips for Making Your Setting Real
I love the “cold” mysteries. Those set in the cold regions–Sweden, Iceland, Norway. Why do I love those books? I love the settings. The characters are all excellent as well, but its the settings that keep me coming back time and again. In Henning Mankell’s series the setting, a small town in Sweden, plays as […]
