Synopses are hard. Sometimes they feel like a punishment sent by the writing gods to torment miserable authors.I'm not talking about the "back of the book" blurb or the summary you put in a query, but instead that other beast. The dreaded "1 to 2 page synopsis" required by some agents when querying.For those who… Continue reading How I Wrote a One-Page Synopsis
Author: Avery Ames
Music Monday: Gothic Horror
I know Halloween was a couple of months ago, but I have a soft spot for gothic fiction year-round. This particular mix was heavily inspired by the sound and style of the Castlevania video game series. A selection of instrumental pieces, it's ideal for writing tales of haunted mansions, ghostly romances, and atmospheric stories of… Continue reading Music Monday: Gothic Horror
5 Tropes You Will Pry From My Cold, Dead Hands
Today’s Friday 5 is more of a short fluff piece: My favorite tropes. I don’t care how many times I see them, I still get giddy every frickin’ time. 1. Masquerades & Ballroom Dancing I mean, have you seen my website header? If I ever write a story that doesn’t include at least one ballroom… Continue reading 5 Tropes You Will Pry From My Cold, Dead Hands
Dreams vs. Goals
It's that time of year again. Everyone is looking forward to 2019 and setting their goals. I've been noticing a pattern of goal-setting that's a recipe for disappointment, so I'm going to speak a little bit about dreams versus goals. Some points in this article can be applied to self-pub goal-setting, but the examples I… Continue reading Dreams vs. Goals
Writing with Bipolar II
Content warning for mental illness, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. From the moment I decided to start a blog, I wanted to write this post, but it’s difficult to know where to start. We’ll start with a specific moment in my writing path. I’d just received my third manuscript critique that mentioned an inability to connect… Continue reading Writing with Bipolar II
