Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Kathy Otten who offers tips on cutting out extra baggage in our writing… In the same way a driver economizes their gas mileage by condensing trips and monitoring driving habits, as writers we need to do the same with the words we choose to put on paper. During that…
Category: Writing Tips
The Compulsion to Publish
Say hello to guest blogger, Meredith Bond, who tells us why she writes… There’s recently been a thread on a discussion group I follow (I rarely participate, but I always read the postings of others) about why people publish what they’ve written. There have been some really interesting responses. Some people want immortality, to be…
The Blank Page-Friend Not Enemy
I always tell my writing students to not overthink their plot, their characters, and to simply get what’s in their head down on paper. It sounds easy but some of them tell me they’ll still struggling with that blank page. I know I’ve been in their position at one point. New exercise book open…
Making the Minutes Count – 4 Tips to Write More When You Have No Time
Say hello to guest blogger Tarina Deaton who tells us how to make the most of our time… “Where do you find the time?” I am asked this question a lot. Let me back up and explain why I am asked that question. I am active duty military, so “I work full-time” is an…
Writing through Adversity
Here’s Mary Winter, today’s guest blogger… When life happens the muse often decides to go on vacation. It can be tough for writers to get back into the swing of things, especially when the pressures of life seem to get in the way. Dealing with financial stresses, job stressors, and family worries can zap you of…
NaNoWriMo (Nano) Encouragement
Madeline McEwen is back with us again to offer words of encouragement during NaNoWriMo and share her wonderful cartoons… If you are reading this at 23:59 you are almost half way through the Nano experience. Whether you’re a first timer or a seasoned aficionado, either way, at this point you may be beginning to feel…
Life Events Can Make You Write
It’s the second week in a row that I’ve had a guest blogger no show. I like to have something posted on the site for you every week day so it’s meant I’ve had to fill in on a moment’s notice. For some writers that sets off a panic attack. Years ago that would…
Hi Susan-Will I Ever Be a Better Writer?
It’s time for another Hi Susan post. This question was e-mailed to me by Jenny- I keep getting rejection after rejection and I’m getting to the point where I want to give up. Will I ever write a story that’s good enough to be published? Been there, had that happen, and also had thoughts of giving up….
Brainstorming Techniques During NaNoWriMo So You Can Get Back to Your Novel by Beth Barany
Beth Barany is back with us and this time gives us some tips about brainstorming… You’ve started your novel with NaNoWriMo. Hurrah and congrats! But maybe on some days you lose your focus and don’t know what to write next. If you haven’t planned your novel ahead of time, then you may need some…
And So It Begins-NaNoWriMo 2018
Promptober’s history and I hope you enjoyed it. Today I thought I’d kick off NaNoWriMo 2018 with a pep talk for everyone, (myself included). It’s sort of ironic because as I’m putting this together, writing is the last thing I actually want to do. It’s Wednesday evening, it’s been a busy week, finishing…