A Necessary Part of the Process Every writer I've ever known, and every writer I've ever read about, says the same as Hemingway, "The only kind of writing is rewriting." Writing the first draft is a chore, but we can’t proceed to our second, third, or final draft without it. Three books that have helped … Continue reading Writing Inspiration: Writing a First Draft Part 1
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Writing Inspiration: Facing the Fear of First Drafts
No One Likes Writing First Drafts While I will always love writing in the Loving Husband and Hembry Castle worlds, my creativity has been pulling me in other directions lately. I've started the academic research that has been on my mind for some time now, and I'm branching out in my fiction. I've been writing … Continue reading Writing Inspiration: Facing the Fear of First Drafts
What Is Slow Writing and Why Is It Good For You?
My Definition of Slow Writing I had an interesting time putting this post together. Normally, when I write a post like this I do a little research to help me find others who share a similar opinion. But when I looked for slow writing on several search engines, I didn’t find much. I found some … Continue reading What Is Slow Writing and Why Is It Good For You?
Where I Find Character Inspiration: Sarah Alexander and Elizabeth Wentworth
Where Do Character Ideas Come From? Fans of the Loving Husband Series are familiar with Elizabeth Jones, the greatest love of James Wentworth’s life. She is the woman he sees across the dining room table in Salem Village in 1691, and her beauty and warmth capture his heart forever. But where did the idea for … Continue reading Where I Find Character Inspiration: Sarah Alexander and Elizabeth Wentworth
One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Photo by Glenn Carstens from Unsplash What is a Scene Sequel? I shared the concept of scene sequels in my book Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction. Another novelist introduced me to scene sequels about 10 years ago and I’ve been using them ever since. Yes, there are scene sequels in The … Continue reading One Tip For Writing Fiction: Scene Sequels
Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
Photo by Patrick Tomasso from Unsplash I Was a Guest Speaker for the Lit Mag Love Course! For my first bit of news, on Tuesday, 3/1, I had the chance to participate in a Q&A for Rachel Thompson's course Lit Mag Love, which helps writers who want to submit their work to literary journals. I … Continue reading Room For Freedom When Writing Fiction
What is the Spark of Creativity?
The History Quill's Convention for Writers of Historical Fiction On Saturday, February 5, 2022, I was invited to speak at The History Quill’s convention for writers of historical fiction. My topic was writing and publishing short historical fiction. I had a lot of fun speaking to the attendees and sharing my presentation. Right before my … Continue reading What is the Spark of Creativity?
How To Avoid Clichés Like the Plague
Photo by Debby Hudson for Unsplash Writing is Rarely Easy For someone who loves to write as much as I do, I find writing quite hard. I love that saying from Thomas Mann: "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." After all, who else but a writer … Continue reading How To Avoid Clichés Like the Plague