Autumn has always felt like the true beginning of a new year for me, after years of back-to-school programming. So it follows that fall is a perfect time to start something new in my writing, especially with Nanowrimo coming up again in just over a month. Now, you might be what they call a “Pantser”… Continue reading Plotline Prep for Planners & Pantsers
Tag: writing
5 Leaps of Faith for your Writing
Ever get to the place in your writing where you just want to play it safe? I think every writer gets there. Doesn’t every writer have a manuscript that’s too blah because you were too scared to go where you should have gone? Or a manuscript that’s gathering dust because you’re too scared for anyone… Continue reading 5 Leaps of Faith for your Writing
Writing as a Gift
If I took a poll of writers, I’d bet the vast majority would say they write because they love to. I’m one of them. Writing is a passion for me, a way of caring for myself and having fun. But that’s not everything there is to it. Now I’m not talking about making money, though… Continue reading Writing as a Gift
Tuesday Critique: Botticelli’s Story
In this excerpt from my time-travel short story, Mason gets some advice from a famous painter.Mason spent the night under Botticelli’s roof, along with the apprentices and under-artists who lived there. He lay awake through the few hours left before dawn, casting about between the wonder of where and when he was, and the heart-bursting… Continue reading Tuesday Critique: Botticelli’s Story
Writer Wednesday: 3 Rules for Keeping Tension Alive
Have you ever heard the expression "jump the shark"? It's a term from television, stemming from the moment when the show "Happy Days" passed its peak. Now people use it to describe that tipping point of any TV show. I'd like to suggest we writers can jump the shark, too.It's all about keeping tension in… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: 3 Rules for Keeping Tension Alive
Tuesday Critique: Alessa’s promise
In this excerpt from my work in progress, a time travel story set in Renaissance Florence, Alessa has just met Mason, and has seen a portrait of herself that has yet to be painted.Alessa couldn’t feel as sorry as she ought. Oh, Matteo was trying as hard as possible to make her feel sorry, appealing to… Continue reading Tuesday Critique: Alessa’s promise
Writer Wednesday: 10 Questions to Ask Your Character
The internet is full of helpful lists of questions to ask your date so you can get to know them. But have you ever thought about using these questions to get to know your characters? After all, you're about to embark on an intimate journey with this person. You need to know more than just… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: 10 Questions to Ask Your Character
Writer Wednesday: Getting Reacquainted with your Manuscript
Have you ever come back to a work in progress after a break and found it a stranger?This is something I've done many a time. Hello there, book-to-be. Who are you exactly? And where do we go from here?I've made plenty of mistakes with this process, daunting mistakes that almost made me give up on… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: Getting Reacquainted with your Manuscript
Writer Wednesday: 5 Leaps of Faith for your writing
Ever get to the place in your writing where you just want to play it safe? I think every writer gets there. Doesn't every writer have a manuscript that's too blah because you were too scared to go where you should have gone? Or a manuscript that's gathering dust because you're too scared for anyone… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: 5 Leaps of Faith for your writing
Writer Wednesday: The Drawbacks of a Straight Line
I grew up writing. For the longest time I had a rather serious problem. Most of my stories lost steam about a third of the way through and sat gathering dust. Then one day I picked up "The Outlandish Companion" by Diana Gabaldon, writer of the bestselling Outlander series, and I discovered an amazing thing:… Continue reading Writer Wednesday: The Drawbacks of a Straight Line
Erin E. M. Hatton 