When I began my writing career, I was fueled by passion, determination, and naïveté. Like many new writers, I thought that if I worked hard enough and believed in my stories, success would naturally follow. While some of what I dreamed of has happened, some things have turned out very different from what I imagined … Continue reading Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Began My Writing Career
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My Summer Routine (Hint: I Don’t Have One)
I love summer because it's vacation time for me. I was going to write a post about my summer routine, but when I started thinking about it I realized that I don’t have a summer routine. I don't follow a schedule. And quite honestly, I love it. Another Example of My No-Routine Routine I wrote here … Continue reading My Summer Routine (Hint: I Don’t Have One)
How to Create Memorable Characters Your Readers Will Love
How to Create Memorable Characters I've been asked many times how I create such well-rounded characters. The truth is, I'm not entirely sure myself. Here I am, minding my own business as I think my way through a story, and suddenly these people appear. Who are you? I find myself asking the question aloud sometimes, … Continue reading How to Create Memorable Characters Your Readers Will Love
Exploring Humanity Through Storytelling: The Heart of My Novels
Why I Focus on Humanity in my Storytelling One of the most common responses I've heard from readers is how human James Wentworth is. If you’re not familiar with the Loving Husband Trilogy, James Wentworth is one of the main characters. He’s also a vampire. He's also more humane than most of the humans in the … Continue reading Exploring Humanity Through Storytelling: The Heart of My Novels
From Rough to Refined: Tackling the All-Important Second Draft
Starting Draft Two of my WIP Baking time for my current WIP is done, the timer had dinged, and now I’m writing the second draft. While this is the fun part of the writing process for me, it’s also the most difficult to explain because I believe there's magic involved. In her book Big Magic, … Continue reading From Rough to Refined: Tackling the All-Important Second Draft
The Secret Weapon of Historical Novelists: Research That Captivates
I recently read Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar, a historical fantasy novel. Where Bardugo's Ninth House was a five-star read for me, I'd place The Familiar at four stars. I liked the story, and the main character Luzia grew on me as the story progressed. I didn't love the Hunger Games-type magic show, and though I … Continue reading The Secret Weapon of Historical Novelists: Research That Captivates
More Unlocking the Magic of Writing: A Guide to Completing Your Novel
Are You A Plotter or a Pantster? We see these quizzes online—are you a plotter or a pantster?—and we’re supposed to fit neatly into one box or the other. If you’re not familiar with the terms, a plotter is a writer who plots out the story before writing and a pantser is someone who “flies … Continue reading More Unlocking the Magic of Writing: A Guide to Completing Your Novel
Unlocking the Magic of Writing: A Guide to Starting Your Novel
Another How-To Write Post I know these “How To Write” posts are a dime a dozen, but I’ve been asked to share how I get myself started when tackling a new project, so here it is is. I should point out that this is how I begin a novel. If you ask ten different novelists … Continue reading Unlocking the Magic of Writing: A Guide to Starting Your Novel