In the summer retreat I’m teaching, this week, we’ve been focusing on conflict and emotion. I told everyone that while we think we read books for entertainment, that’s only half the reason. The other being emotion. A great story makes you feel an emotion, whether it be joy, anger, fear etc. One easy way to…
Category: Writing How Tos
Tuesday Guest Blogger-Amber Daulton
Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Amber Daulton…. When did you begin writing? I read my first romance book when I was 12 after I snuck a Harlequin paperback out of my mom’s bedroom. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I wanted to create my own story about two people having an adventure and…
Three Tips for Writing a Synopsis
Are you a writer who hates the idea of writing a synopsis for your story? You’re not alone, most of my students tell me it’s their least favorite thing. You might love your story, have a potential bestseller on your hands, but unless you can make the synopsis shine as much as the…
Five Exercises to Improve Your Writing
No matter how long you’ve been writing, there’s always room for improvement. Here are five exercises I’ve been using to do just that- Warm Up Ever sat down to write and five…ten minutes later you’re looking at a blank screen or sheet of paper.? We, writers, for some reason, put lots of pressure…
Is Your Writing Coach Right For You?
I had a dream when I was a struggling author. No, not the one about getting published. This one was about finding a mentor who would take me under their wing, tell me what I was doing wrong (and right), and be the cheerleader who stood on the sidelines and said, another rejection, don’t…
Summer Writing Retreat-Want To Join Us on Monday?
No Tuesday guest blogger this week so I thought I’d fill this spot to shamelessly self promote session two of the online writing retreat I’m offering through OIRWA. You don’t have to be a member of OIRWA to take part and you don’t have to be working on a romance novel. All the lessons…
Reading Can Make You A Better Writer
Can you ever be a writer without being an avid reader? I credit my late father for sharing his love of reading with me. You might remember me sharing this story with you before, but for those new to the TWL community, here it is. When I was a little girl, without fail, every…
Procrastination OR How To Put Off ‘Til Tomorrow (Or Next Week) What You’ve Already Put Off From Yesterday
Dee S Knight is back as our Tuesday guest blogger and this time she shares with us some thoughts on procrastination… Procrastinate: to put off till another day or time; defer; delay. A word associated with laziness or habitual dilatoriness. Hello. My name is Dee. I am a procrastinator. No disrespect is intended with…
Hi Susan-To Blog or Not, That is the Question
Time for another Hi Susan question. This one came from Cameron, who asked Do you think it’s essential that an author have a blog they consistently post to? I’ve been blogging for about 15 years and the landscape has certainly changed. I started out blogging about saving money not writing, but it did,…
5 Things to Do When You Don’t Have Time to Write
Don’t have time to sit down and work on your novel? Some days, no matter how much you try, you can’t find time to write…maybe you don’t feel like working on your novel. I tell my students they should write every day but I quickly add, it doesn’t have to be another chapter from…