A Villainess Blast from the Past (Author/Villain)
Save this article for loads of resources about creating the perfect villain in your story–and yes, every story needs a good villain.
Tag Archive for ‘#writingresources’
Desperately Seeking Sequel Advice
Sharing my journey as a writer also includes an occasional request. Today, I need your thoughts—from both readers and writers! After working with my editor on Seam Keepers, set to launch in 2021, it only makes sense to set aside my new book project, Life Song, to write the next book in the Keeper series. It’s reassuring to know that Life Song is still there, outlined, started, and ready to […]
Revising Clarity…Like Raking Leaves
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 […]
Gleaning Wisdom (Virtual Writer’s Conference Confessions)
There’s a certain dazzle that surrounds me when I attend a writer’s conference. I’ve come far from my first experience in 2017, where I ate lunch in my car and sat solo in the back of every workshop. By 2019, I had made new friends through a PNWA writing class. And since then, many of my classmates and I still meet regularly in a critique group. As many authors tend […]
Writing Out Loud
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
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 […]
Writing Renovation Celebration
September marks my three-year anniversary with my writing blog, Steps In Between. I am grateful for my readers, encouraged in my progress as a writer, and elated for the new year ahead. First on the list: a remodel! Maybe I’ve been watching too much HGTV this summer, but it’s time to update and renew. I am going to be reworking some of my blog and linking it to my brand-new […]
Busy Writing ~ Matryoshka Mind
Often, I have wished for more time, or more of me to tackle the work and writing I must complete. Most writers, like myself, have a day job. Writing is something we generally must squeeze in between life. For most, that’s career obligations and family responsibilities. And when there’s more than one writing project to manage, time is split even further. I often feel like a Matryoshka Doll, those Russian […]
Sunday Celebration for Wednesday Poetry (and a YOUR TURN PROMPT)
Somehow August has arrived, with sunshine and summer in tow. It felt so far away, back in March, when isolation started. But here we are. And after a long lull in my poetry inspiration, I’m back to writing more fluently again! Last month I wrote three poems for my Wednesday Whims page, plus a couple online workshop pieces, and a few others to hopefully send out for submissions (so I […]
CC’s Interview Series: Author, Dr. Tamara Miles
The world may seem to be spiraling, as of late, out of the grasp of creativity. But writers persevere. It’s been a while since my last interview, yet today, I have someone special to share. As unconventional and encouraging as ever, CC’s Interview Series is happy to welcome author of Earth Gospel, college professor, and one of my poetry mentors, Dr. Tamara Miles! I say unconventional interview because typically I […]
Pocket Sizing My Story
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 […]
Poetry Play, with Pamela Hobart Carter
This morning arrived with joyful poetry play! Thank You to poet, author, and playwright, Pamela Hobart Carter for her most recent blog post, Make a Poem at Home: Poetry Lessons for Covid Times. (https://playwrightpam.wordpress.com/make-a-poem-at-home-poetry-lessons-for-covid-times/#like-841) As a fellow teacher of young children and a writer myself, I found encouragement and fun following her three creative ideas for writing poetry with young ones. I find these lessons appropriate for all ages! As […]
Reader Advice: Same Walk, New Step (Squash the Creative Crunch)
Last week I shared real-life distractions blocking my creative pathway, even amid true inspiration. My readers delivered with caring advice, either through comments or private messages, and I am grateful. A few small suggestions helped me to make some slight alterations to my writing routine, which made all the difference. As a reference, please take a peek back at last week’s post: https://stepsinbetween.com/2020/06/21/creatively-crunched/ For starters, I took some time off […]
Creatively Crunched
Sometimes, as a writer, even when I know what to write, my fingers hover above my keyboard in a clutched-claw formation. I don’t know how to describe this state other than it feels as if my creativity is crunched. I am full of ideas and motivation, but I waver back and forth between projects hardly completing a thing. Meanwhile, my writing to-do list grows longer. Why, when I sit down […]
My Step Driven Action to Creating Characters ~ Step 2
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 […]
Steps In Between 