One of the writing tips you've most likely heard is probably to avoid clichés. This writing tip is so widely shared that it has almost become a cliché itself. So you know that clichés in creative writing should be avoided like the plague. But so often a cliché is the...
I'm in the middle of book revisions right now for the third book in my Dusty Deals Mystery series. I'm not actually done with the book yet, but I took a break from writing this novel to go back and revise a few things that were bugging me. I do this at times if...
I’m a big believer in a conversational approach to writing a synopsis which frequently is also part of my plotting. This Guide to World Building works with this same idea. Rather than going all left brain and filling out a list, I just sit back and let the ideas flow....
No, this is not a post about fan fiction or making a living as a copyright thief. It’s really more of a “write what you know” post or what you can research post. It's a build-your-own-world post based on what is already established or accepted. I’ve had two series...
Want to overcome writer's block? That's right. Care LESS. Trying for perfection when writing your first draft is the best way ever to stop your writing cold. "Should she hold a rose or a daisy?" "What is the significance of each?" "What if her brother was really her...
The first step is having a manuscript that you feel good about – good enough that you would send it off to agents or editors. Self-Publishing Checklist: 1.) Hire an editor. I know you just went through multiple rounds of critiques. Trust me. It isn’t enough. You still...
Lately, I've been getting a number of emails from people asking how to get their first book published. Enough that I realized there was still a need for some step-by-step guidelines on how to get your book published. So, you have a book and you want to get it...
Considering writing romance novels? Romance is one of the top selling genres in fiction and has been for a very long time. Romance gets a bad rap and when you say you are writing romance, you may get a superior look or two. Shake it off. These people know nothing...
Flashbacks are defined as a scene or piece of a scene from a past time that is interjected into an ongoing story. Flashbacks in fiction are usually presented as a memory of the point of view character, and many writers seem quite fond of adding them to their books....
