Oh, the great Writer's Block Debate. You may have heard the phrase "Writer's Block doesn't exist" and wanted to flip a table. Or maybe you truly believe there's no such thing. I fall in the middle. I do believe writers can experience mental blocks or an inability to move forward sometimes, but I think just …
Pavonated Designs is live! I've started selling pre-made book covers for indie authors. Check them out here! There are only a few available yet, but keep an eye out for more in the future.
It's the eternal battlefield in writing. Indie publishing versus traditional publishing. So which path is best for you and your book? And can you have the best of both worlds? First off, we'll compare the short-and-sweet primary pros/cons of each, then go into a bit more detail. Self-publishing Pros: Independence and full creative controlHigher royalty …
Continue reading Trad-pub vs Self-pub: Pros, Cons, and Why Not Both?
Today we're going to talk about another frequent writing issue, usually appearing in early drafts. I think it's more common in newer writers, but it's easy for this problem to sneak up on even experienced writers. So what's the problem? Everyone is too nice. In the story, I mean. Secondary characters provide unflinching moral support …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mNo7eDYZlI This week on the Writescast Network! Join us for the YouTube PREMIERE of this Novel Approaches podcast episode all about retellings, LIVE at 11am Central Time on Saturday, April 11th, 2020! Once upon a time, guest co-hosts Avery Ames and r.r. campbell explored retellings. Along the way, they learned there's more to retellings than …
Revision. Some writers love it, some hate it. I fall into the first camp. Give me a rough manuscript over a blank page any day. But I have a very visual brain and I tend to get overwhelmed by large tasks pretty easily, so my setup is mostly designed to break everything down into bite-sized …
Writing is, at its core, a solitary pursuit. When asked to envision a writer, you probably picture someone sitting alone at a laptop (or even a typewriter), spilling their story onto the page. [gif: Kermit the Frog typing on a typewriter] When I first started writing seriously as an adult, I worked alone for years, …
Continue reading Find Your Squad: How Support Makes All The Difference
Who doesn't love a good masquerade scene in a fantasy novel? Intrigue, deception, romance... and music. [gif: David Bowie in the film "Labyrinth" removing a goblin mask] If you're writing a masked ball scene and need a little musical inspiration, try this instrumental playlist full of lilting waltzes, haunting violin covers, and ethereal piano. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5nEpluIskw6i76TWlZddQe
My earliest draft of Cambiare included folklore from Cirelle's world in an assortment of flash-fiction blurbs. They have been cut from the original manuscript, but thought I'd share this one as a "deleted scene". [photo: hand-made net] The Netmaker In the seaside village of Lemarque, there once lived a netmaker of great skill. His fishing …
So I saw the Birds of Prey movie last weekend, and I've been a wee bit obsessed ever since. [gif: Harley Quinn in sunglasses smirking] I created this playlist for the Birds of Prey, but could be applied to just about any story with a badass girl gang! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5e1lJtYSzZ4uacn4hDxd7V?si=cqIvWO0JQ1SiW1LrKhoMvQ
