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 …
I originally posted this article a while back, but it was hastily written and not very clearly thought-out, so I'm revising and resurrecting it as part of an opinion series on various tropes. So today... I'm gonna dissect my thoughts on Enemies-to-Lovers. Good?Bad?Guilty Pleasure? To be frank, I have mixed feelings. I love a good …
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
In my blog series condensing the various research I've done on my self-publishing journey, today's topic might be the trickiest... Distribution. What do you mean by distribution? Essentially, distribution is the path you want to take to get your books in the hands of readers. You can print your books via an on-demand printing service …
