Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Ann Everett who offers us advice on something that can often be an Achilles’ heel even for published writers… Overwriting: This is a mistake all new writers make. They over explain either through description or action. Heck, in first drafts, I still do it. Here are some examples: Gus pulled his gun belt tight…
Category: Writing Tips
Guest Blogger Sign Up For November and December
It’s sign up time for guest blogger spots for November and December. The theme of November is NaNoWriMo and December, it’s setting writing goals, but if you prefer to focus on another topic that’s fine too. The only requirement is the post has to be writing related. It could be how you overcame…
The Pros and Cons of the Writing Life
Madeline McEwan is back with another humorous post about what it means to be a writer (and her sketches)… Terminology Pro and Con – This idiom is taken from the Latin: pro for “for” and con for “against.” Pro and Ant – [do not muddle with Pro and Con] Protagonist [hero] – the main character in a…
Creating Characters Who Matter
Welcome to today’s guest blogger, Merrilee Robson whose post focuses on the characters we create… A magazine editor recently commented that a secondary character in one of my short stories didn’t seem very upset about the death of another character. My first reaction was, “Well, of course she’s upset. Her best friend just died!” But…
Come on Pantsers, Let’s Unite
Today’s guest blogger is J.J. DiBenedetto, he’s a pantser or is he? There are as many different ways to write a novel as there are writers, but I want to speak up for those of us who don’t outline, who don’t plot out in detail, who discover the story as it goes along. Yes, I’m…
Planning Your Novel
Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Beth Barany who offers advice about planning our novels… Do you like plotting your story before you write it? I don’t! That is, I don’t like the sound of “plotting.” Sounds so boring and feels heavy. Like “plodding.” I’ve learned, though, through lots of trial and error that if…
Stop Waiting for the Muse
Say hello to today’s guest blogger Judy Penz Sheluk who opens with a quote from one of my favorite mystery writers… I love that quote, not just because it means that even someone as prolific as Christie had the occasional struggle to get the words down, but because it absolutely sums up the life…
Critiquing…a Necessary Evil
Let’s wish today’s guest blogger a happy birthday and send her good vibes as she waits for news about two stories that are with editors. Say hello to Debbi Crocovia who I know from working with her at the Outreach International Chapter of RWA. Here she shares with us tips on critiquing your work….and thank you…
Trust Me-An Interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan
I mentioned in last week’s Ramblings that I’d be posting an interview with someone who I think is one of the nicest people in the writing business. Many years ago, I had a blog spot on a writing site where I interviewed authors. I was new, didn’t have any real connections in the business but…
The Meaning of Writing
Say hello to today’s guest blogger, Heather Gooden who shares something I think we all discover as writers… I’m grateful to be here guest blogging today. I was told to write about something writing related, so I decided I wanted to talk about what writing means to me. I’ve always loved to write, but for…