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 […]
People People Your Books–Eyes Wide Open!
One of the best habits you can cultivate as a writer is the power of observation. People all around you give you amazing content. Whether it’s the obnoxious barista that won’t even look at you or the friendly cashier at the local market. Everyone you encounter provide a wonderful panoply of characterizations. The only thing […]
What to do When You’ve Run Out of Things to Say
Here I am facing another Wednesday and time to publish a new post. I’ve written about writing fiction and nonfiction. I’ve looked at the way authors develop their characters and come up with character names. I’ve examined the pros and cons for pantser styles and outliner styles. I’ve looked at grammar issues and non issues. […]
What in the World is Writer’s Block?
I recently heard experts talking about the difficulties in finishing creative projects. Basically they were discussing the effects of writer’s block. On the program, hosted by Studio 360, psychiatrists and psychologists and people who study the brain explored whether or not writer’s block is real. Some people believe writer’s block is an excuse people use […]
Tips for Starting a New Novel
I recently started a new novel. I began with a germ of an idea and it has grown and emerged since. Because we all write in different ways, I thought I’d share some of my tips for starting a new novel and ask my writer friends to add a few of theirs. Working on a […]
Tips on How Not to Let Others Squelch Your Creativity
Recently I heard someone say, “I tried to write a novel, but when my wife read it, she said…” Usually a negative comment from a loved one or a friend, will squelch our creativity in an instant #amwriting #creativity Click To Tweet Quicker than my foot will squelch a bug. As artists, whether literary artists […]
Tips Josephine Tey Teaches #Mystery Writers
Josephine Tey was a brilliant mystery writer #amwriting #writingtips #mystery Click To Tweet She wrote in the 1930’s and 1950’s. Her books followed no set formula, and I’d say she might have been one of the first pantser writers. Those outliners who put us pantsers down might take a long look at a writer like […]
What Does A Writer’s Day Look Like?
The image of a writer getting up in the morning with a cup of coffee and spending the early hours at his or her computer is what most of us imagine. We see Jane Austen at her desk in the vicarage with an ink pen and paper while watching the sun rise from her two-story […]
What Brahms Teaches Us About Creativity
I attended an incredible concert in which Joshua Bell played the solo violin in the Johannes Brahms Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 77. You might ask, what was so wonderful or different about this concert? Little did I know that when Brahms created this piece, this was the first time […]
Where Do Your Creative Ideas Come From?
As I was swimming laps this morning, I was struck with the thought: Where do creative ideas come from? Not simply themes for a book but various creative plot points. For me a lot of those ideas do not come when I’m poised in front of my computer screen. Here are some of my experiences […]
