Physical Objects in Your Writing Space: Help or Hindrance?

This is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog-hop, designed to help encourage authors and foster discussions about writing topics across the internet and the world. This month's question is about what physical objects one would find in your writing space. Right now, my writing space is the kitchen table, so who knows what … Continue reading Physical Objects in Your Writing Space: Help or Hindrance?

4 Ideas for Literary Christmas Gifts

It's the holiday season, and while some of you might be done with your Christmas shopping already, chances are, most of us still have a few items to get people. So here are four literary gift ideas I've come across over the years—great gifts for you to ask for or to get for the other … Continue reading 4 Ideas for Literary Christmas Gifts

Writing Lessons from Les Mis: Characterization

We've been looking at Les Misérables to see what writings lessons we can glean from it. Last post, we looked at the Plotting and Sub-plotting, and this time, I want to look at the characters. Hugo has an enormous cast of characters in this book, and honestly, there are times when even the most attentive readers … Continue reading Writing Lessons from Les Mis: Characterization

Writing Lessons from Les Mis: Plotting and Subplotting

Having just finished a read-through of Les Misérables, I've been struck by the writing. It's a long book at well over 600,000 words, so I definitely wouldn't recommend writing a modern novel of that length, but it's a classic nevertheless. It's been made into dozens of movie versions, beginning in 1897 and continuing onward, with the most … Continue reading Writing Lessons from Les Mis: Plotting and Subplotting

Romance: Two Best-Selling Plot Types

I've been thinking about the romance genre lately, trying to explain what it is that "happens" in a romance story. Obviously, it's about a couple finding each other (or realizing that they already know each other) and reaching their happily-ever-after moment (whether it does or doesn't last is another matter entirely, but unless you write … Continue reading Romance: Two Best-Selling Plot Types

How Life Intersects with Writing

This is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog-hop, designed to help encourage authors and foster discussions about writing topics across the internet and the world. This month's question is "How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?" Most of the time, life affects my writing by … Continue reading How Life Intersects with Writing

Writing Pitfalls: Doubt and Discouragement

This is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog-hop, designed to help encourage authors and foster discussions about writing topics across the internet and the world. This month's question is "What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?" At first, I wasn't sure which pitfall to talk about—the challenge … Continue reading Writing Pitfalls: Doubt and Discouragement

Ultimate Writing Goals and How They Can Change

This is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog-hop, designed to help encourage authors and foster discussions about writing topics across the internet and the world (I missed the memo about it needing to be posted yesterday, apparently). This month's question is "What's are your ultimate writing goals and how have they changed over … Continue reading Ultimate Writing Goals and How They Can Change

Book Review – Shadows of Tomorrow

Title: Shadows of Tomorrow Author: Ryan Lanz Genre: Dystopia Short Stories Only One Mask: Nob only trusts two things: his knife and his breathing mask–the latter because he has to. Ever since the world went crazy, he feels like he’s always on the run. Running from those who want to kill you. Running from those … Continue reading Book Review – Shadows of Tomorrow