The temptation to over-simplify secondary characters, especially bad guys, hits me every time I write a first draft. Since my books are short, I don’t have much space to devote to sub-plots, and some of the characters are off-camera anyway. These bad-guy characters are typically exes—ex-boyfriends, ex-wives, ex-in-laws. You know,…
Way back when I submitted my first novel for publication, I was certain getting published would happen quickly–a year, tops. I believed talent would take me places.
Confidence is a good thing. It pushed me through a lot of hard times.
But reality came knocking quickly, and with it came humility.
When I realized getting published might take longer–much longer–than I thought, I questioned if I had any talent at all. Had I been lying to myself?
It's the final Wednesday of January! Where did this month go? Well, around here it was buried under snow and negative temperatures, but I've whined enough on social media sites, so I'll shut my mouth! I've been writing a first draft, and first drafts are the hardest stage of writing…
I'm writing a first draft right now. I'm excited about the story. I know the main characters, know the main plot points. Usually, I can estimate a word count goal for the day (depending on what I have going on) and meet it in a set amount of time. Not…
January 2019 Goals Happy New Year!! I'll be honest, Monday was a rude awakening for me. I'd been playing catch up on administrative and marketing tasks for five days straight, and guess what? Monday was another full day of it. *waaahh!!* *crying face* That's the writing life, though. It's not…
Are you making your list and checking it twice? No, I'm not talking about your Christmas list--I'm talking about your writer's wish list! And you can make one whether you're naughty or nice. *wink* As we reach the end of another year, I like to take inventory of the practical…
Scenes build stories. How you begin and end them can mean the difference between a reader finishing your novel or tossing it aside. When you're writing, it's fine to put down whatever comes to mind so your brain can push through and get the draft on paper. But when you're…
I've actually been enjoying the blustery, overcast weather. Winter will be here with the snap of my fingers, so I will take the windy, rainy weather since it comes with yellow, rust, and fiery orange leaves. Okay, so it's time for goals. How did you all do last month? Are…
Commas. Where do they go? Why did I throw one there? Does this phrase need one? Are seventeen commas in one sentence too many??? (Yes.) I consider myself at intermediate level when it comes to comma placement. No matter how much I edit, I always find spots where I've misplaced…
When you wake up on Monday, do you have a general idea of what you want to accomplish? This is typically how my thoughts run... Keep writing the new book. Put together the guest blog. Create graphics for the new release. Oh, and write my blog post. And what about…