I love a good metaphor. Similes make me smile. Describe, describe, describe! Isn’t that the expectation of a writer? My answer? To an extent. Sometimes I run with language too far in my manuscripts. This morning, as I peered out my window, the season called to me, and I listened. How timely that I am editing my book in October. Instead of combing over every sentence for mistakes, I imagined […]
Writing Out Loud – Take Time to Hear Your Words I used to write in the closet. My story idea hidden between the stored winter coats, a keyboard, and my mind. My family had no idea I was taking the plunge of authorhood. I surely told no friends of my plans to write and publish a book. Discreetly, I swept every piece of description and dialogue into a quiet corner, […]
Filter Flops in Writing When I curl up to read a good book, I don’t want the author putting a safety glass between me and the story. I want to be right there in the action. I want to feel the frustration, the sorrow, or the zeal of each character. I am referring to filters, of which I did not realize I, myself, unintentionally add to my writing. Time to […]
Lately, I am more than writing. I am more than editing. I am more than revising my manuscript. Instead, I am concise, and direct, and intentional with every word on the page. This includes every word trimmed from the page, as well. As a story seamstress, I am doing just that with my manuscript, Seam Keepers; I am hemming up every scene, every page, every paragraph. Less is more. I’m […]
Pocket planning! That’s what I’m working on right now. With book two underway, and my mission to de-pants myself…ummm, what I mean is, curb my pantser-instead-of-plotting tendencies, I aim to become more of a planner. Of course, I am NOT a planner by nature, so I’m on the hunt, finding simple solutions to trick my brain into the idea. Could I be wasting time as a writer? Could this process […]
Writing a book is a long and weary process. So, what did I do after accomplishing this great feat? I started in on the next novel. It’s a completely new story with new characters, new plots, new everything. But this time, I am tracking my steps along the way. This time I am hoping for more efficiency in my process. As this blog is my journey in writing, my new […]
I am a goal-setter. Although to be honest, I don’t always look back and reflect. Sometimes I just keep going, setting new or abbreviated goals along the way. But today, with the accomplishment of one very important goal that’s pushed me to drive through long nights and torrential downpours, I have found reason to reflect. And I believe it is important to share for all the writers out there who […]
With the book that’s held my attention for the last several years complete, and in the hands of an editor (and soon to be published, late spring 2021), I now have the time to focus on a new story idea that’s been brewing in the back of my mind. I believed utilizing what I learned from my first book to begin my second book would make story-writing easier. But it […]
Do I really need another writer’s checklist? I do. I’ve discovered it’s needed for my own growth. Only six years into writing for myself, and three years into writing more publicly, I am in great need of accountability and push-on-abilty. And, sometimes I forget the pure satisfaction in checking off an item on my list. Maybe I should add, celebrate checking off the checklist, onto my list. I find my […]
Steps In Between 