It’s time for another Hi Susan, and this question came from Penny… I’ve been writing and writing and I never thought I’d run out of plot ideas but I have. Does that mean I’m not supposed to be a writer? My answer to Penny, you are supposed to be a writer. All of us…
Author: This Writer's Life
Monday Motivation-Be Inspired
If you’re struggling to write then it could be lack of inspiration. Think about why you started writing in the first place. What is it about the written word that inspires you? This week, look around the see all the things that inspire you. Even people who inspire and motivate you to live your dreams.
Friday Ramblings From An Author-Refueling
Happy April. The days are getting longer but the weather turned chilly again. I know spring’s out there somewhere. I had a week off from teaching and tried to use it wisely. I had the opportunity to e-mail and chat with one of my private students who I’ve been mentoring for about six months. It’s…
Journaling with Daryl Devore
Welcome back Daryl who’s today’s guest blogger and here to tell us all about keeping a journal… A journal. A notebook. Legal pad. Composition book. All of these are blank pages waiting for a writer to fill them with amazing prose or just random chaotic thoughts. They are also one of the tricks of a…
Wednesday Writing Prompts-Characters-Part One
It’s April, so I thought we’d try something different. A prompt that will carry through this entire month. Each week you’ll get a photo of a different character as your prompt. Think of it as a piece of a puzzle. All four characters will be part of the same story each playing a part in…
Five Writing Markets
One of the biggest challenges a beginning writer faces is finding markets to send their work. I thought I’d list five here. Three I’ve written for, one is a tip writing market, while the other is for more experienced writers. So here we go and good luck if you do decide to submit work to any or…
Monday Motivation-Put Fear Aside
It’s been a long time since I’ve known what the fear of writing a story is all about. As a newbie artist, that emotion came rushing back to me. You sit frozen, wondering if you can do it, thinking how stupid you’ll feel if anyone sees your work. Heartbroken if things don’t turn out…
Friday Ramblings From An Author-Goodbye March, Where Did You Go?
It seems like just last week I was saying goodbye February. Do you often find when you’re busy time seems to go at supersonic speed? Tomorrow is officially the last day of the March classes and then I have a whole week free of teaching. During that time, I hope to get caught up with some of…
Discourse, Dialogue, Monologue, Soliloquy
Welcome today’s guest blogger, AB Plum who has lots of tips about writing great dialogue… “I talk, ergo I am.” Pardon the paraphrase, but it reinforces for me that no literary device in fiction accomplishes more than dialogue. Good, well-written dialogue can: Move the plot forward Provide info about the speaker Give insight into the…
Wednesday Writing Prompts-Location, Location, Location
[wpvideo kH4NTSO8] To close out our March prompts, I thought we’d try a live action video as our prompt. Use the above setting for your story. After you’ve watched the video what sort of story will you create? Mystery or romance. Is someone meeting someone here? Going on the rollercoaster ride? Someone lost at…