Revision. Some writers love it, some hate it. I fall into the first camp. Give me a rough manuscript to polish up over a blank page any day. 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 …
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... this is a new (possibly one-time-only) opinion installment of the blog. I've had a wee bit too much clearanced strawberry Bailey's and I HAVE THOUGHTS. I don't know yet what shape this article will take. Ramblings and rantings, most likely. And gifs. Many gifs. I've had a hell of a lot of booze, and …
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
A while back, a friend on Twitter posted asking for music to inspire intrigue-laden plots, twisty tales of ambition and backstabbing. I took up the challenge and whipped up this playlist for all the murder and machinations your writerly heart desires. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3lFSVqJCGQKF48dlzY8NHZ?si=HgWeRgbvRHGRueEcuGT8jw
[gif: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. "I am not dead yet!"] Well, hello there. I thought it might be time for a bit of a status update. This blog has been quiet for a while, and I've been a wee bit less active on Twitter as well. I'm still around, but my participation in …
A while back I posted a Twitter poll asking writers at what point in their story the inciting incident took place. I expected a range of answers, but was surprised to find more than one reply of "I don't have one." I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes, you probably do, …
Ok, *cracks knuckles*, let's do this. Here's where things are going to enter a territory that intimidates a lot of writers... math. Buckle up, because this is going to be a long one. In this final part of my series on distilling self-pub research, we're going to talk all about money. How to price your …
Continue reading Self-Pub Research Checklist: Compensation & Pricing
