I know I’m probably not the only one who does it, but I often wonder just how common it is. I start with a story, and as I write, scenes that aren’t part of that particular story keep coming to me. Many of them are so intense I have to write them just to get… Read More Writing Wednesday: Playing with ideas
This is as much a reminder to myself as it is an offering of advice for those who are where I am – stuck in the hell of writer’s block. In my instance, I get writer’s block for one of two reasons. I’m trying to put characters into situations they’d never be in. I’m stressed… Read More Writing Wednesday: Beating Writer’s Block
I see comments from different authors, some asking “How do you know what your character would do?” and others saying, “It’s your character, you tell them what to do.” I admit to having a good chuckle at those who believe they control every aspect of their story. I don’t know many who’re published who don’t… Read More Writing Wednesday: Coffee with Characters
I have discovered a thing about how I write. Now, if I can just remember it I think I can make use of it. I can’t write the story AND the emotions at the same time. I keep getting stuck and I couldn’t figure out why. I’d be rolling along until there was an emotion,… Read More Writing Wednesday: Getting the emotions down
Yes, there are grammar rules. We need to use those because they make our reading something others can understand. That’s part of communication. I always see posts that position things to writers as absolute gospel. The “do this or you’re not a writer” type of posts. Or worse, the ones looking down on those who… Read More Writing Wednesday: The rule is, there are no rules.
I’ve found that it’s common among writers to have random lines pop into our heads at any time of the day or night. It’s just as common, and I’m also guilty of it, to think, “That’s wonderful, I really like that.” Then, the thought vanishes back into the mist. I started a practice a few… Read More Writing Wednesday: Keep the random lines
I never dreamed I’d be a plotter. The very idea of an outline made my head hurt and erased the desire to write a single word. Now… now I am a plotter. At least for Half-Life of a Soul.
Like most people who write but also have the day job, it’s often a battle to get the space to write, even with good planning and time management. Still, when I feel I’m not making progress, I can open the folder on the computer and see that I am. The number of chapters, the word… Read More Writing Wednesday: Carving Out Time
I’ve found that having a deadline keeps me writing. For some authors, a deadline is a surefire way to make sure no writing happens, ever. Something about that date looming in the future will reveal exactly which sort of author you are. Working on deadlines, or needing them like I do, isn’t good or bad.… Read More Writing Wednesday: Setting Goals and Deadlines
Congrats on the finished MS! Now, slow down. It’s tempting to throw your work at every available opening. I know. You want to see it in the stores as fast as you can. Like everything else with writing, there is still a right and wrong way to go about the search. When you start looking… Read More Writing Wednesday: Newbie Pitfalls: Not Researching Agents/Publishers
Kambry Ellis 