Tips and Advice About Writing and Self-Publishing
A cooler rainy week which meant I got lots done. When I say lots, it seems like I don’t have much to show for it, but it’s all about preparation. One thing I’ve been working on is the sister site to this one that’s focused on self publishing. My intent was to have it…
Read more Friday Ramblings From An Author-Cooking and Sci-Fi Are Hot
I’m often asked for suggestions about markets that are more willing to consider new writers. There are a lot out there. Some will pay you a small amount while others will pay in copies. One market area I had a lot of success with was anthologies. In fact, I think being published in four anthologies at the…
I thought we’d try something a little different for this week’s prompt. Write the opening scene for three different stories based on this photo, then pick which one you like best and complete the short story. Have fun and happy writing.
Read more Wednesday Writing Prompts-You Pick Your Favorite Opening Scene
One of the first questions I ask students is; what do you remember most about your favorite books? I always know that at least 99 % are going to tell me about a character they fell in love with, cheered for, and turned the pages just to see what happened to them. Don’t get me wrong,…
I saw this quote and thought how it could apply to writing a book. Everyone says they have an idea for a book which is great but unless you write it, you stand no chance of getting published. If you’ve been putting off writing that book, print this out, post it somewhere you can see it…
This week I know what the person who first coined the term TGIF was thinking. This one’s even Friday the 13th. It seems like it’s a busy week and I’ve lost count on how many words I’ve written or read. Ever been so word fatiqued that you’re not sure if you’re spelling simple words like the and…
Tell a non-writer you’re an author and the first question out of their mouth is usually, where do you get your ideas? Sometimes it’s a puzzle for writers too. What happens when the story idea bank runs dry? When I began writing, one major issue I had was one too many story ideas. They’d…
For this week’s prompt let’s get into a summer mood and thinking about beaches and the sea and focus on a lighthouse. Does your character see one while out at sea? Are they lost at sea? Are they visiting an old lighthouse…maybe they’re returning to one they visited at a child. Maybe it’s a lighthouse…
About five years ago I wandered into a store that sold ‘brainy games’ and stumbled upon something I knew was perfect for me, the writer. The game is Rory’s Story Cubes and if you’ve ever worried you’ll run out of ideas for new stories then you definitely should check them out. With the roll…
They say if you have a big project and it seems overwhelming, break it down. Writing a book can be overwhelming especially when it’s your first try. Sometimes you start out with great motivation but then it disappears. Don’t think about writing a whole book each time you sit down. Think about writing one chapter.…
