Over the years, I’ve become more of a pantster than a plotter. Before I begin writing, I know the ending. For some strange reason, the ending is always the first thing I know about a story I'm writing. Figuring out how to work my way through the beginning and the middle to get to that … Continue reading Want to Know What Your Novel is About? Write the Blurb
writing inspiration
Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Began My Writing Career
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
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
Poe and the Gothic: Researching His Literary Style
Sharing More Book Research Since I shared my research into the nineteenth-century spiritualism movement last week, I thought I’d share some research into one of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe. Yes, if you’re wondering, this research also plays into my new novel, though I can’t say how yet. I’ve read so many biographies about … Continue reading Poe and the Gothic: Researching His Literary Style
Annotating Books for Research and Enjoyment: My Personal Methods
The Joy of Annotating Books I’ve been a bookworm all my life. I started reading at a young age, which my mother attributes to my watching Sesame Street. Ernie and Bert and ABC songs aside, books were my first and best friends. I lived in books. In books I saw that there were other worlds, … Continue reading Annotating Books for Research and Enjoyment: My Personal Methods
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
Five YouTube Channels To Spark Your Creativity
Creative Videos Can Provide Inspiration Like other people, I enjoy watching YouTube videos now and again. I’ve fine-tuned my algorithm on YouTube to show only what I want to see. I don’t watch the news, and I don’t want to see anything news-related. Yes, I know it’s like sticking my head in the sand, but … Continue reading Five YouTube Channels To Spark Your Creativity