Authors should never stop learning (at least that’s what I think). and last year I bought a copy of a book called Take Off Your Pants. Now if you’re puzzled by the title let me say it’s all about plotting and it’s one of the best I’ve ever read on the topic. I enjoyed…
Category: Writing Tips
What Writing a TV Pilot Has Shown Me
Most of you know I’m working on my first TV pilot. I’ve been an author of novels and short stories for longer than I can remember but this new experience has shown (and is teaching) me new things about the writing process. I thought I’d share these five insights with you here… Go Outside Your Comfort Zone…
An Interview with Rhonda Penders Editor in Chief of The Wild Rose Press
Ten years ago, I got the call…well actually it was an e-mail, that every writer hopes for. The one telling you a publisher would like to offer you a contract for your book. I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for The Wild Rose Press. I told Rhonda when I contacted her about…
An Interview with USA Today Bestselling Author Dianne Harman
I’m happy to announce my author interviews are back and if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries my first interviewee needs no introduction. She’s topped the bestseller lists on both Amazon and USA Today. Say hello to Dianne Harman… This Writer’s Life (TWL)-You’ve had lots of careers, art appraiser, yoga instructor…what made you one…
Use Astrology To Create Characters with Janet Lane Walters
Have you ever struggled to create a captivating character that stands out from the crowd? Today’s guest bloggers tells us all about using astrology… When I use Astrology to cast my main characters, I use the Sun sign, the Moon sign and the Rising sign. The Sun denotes the person’s inner self. The Moon…
“Guilty!” Not. Tips for Writing Legal Suspense, by V.S. Kemanis
Today author and guest blogger V.S. Kemanis has some tips for writers who want to add authentic courtroom drama to their stories… “Write what you know” is the advice we often hear as writers. The wisdom of this maxim is often debated, not to mention its meaning. For me, the best and wisest meaning…
Banish Your Writer Shortcomings with Madeline McEwen
I was moved by a previous post here—“Writers Block Fact or Fiction”—and reflected on how events affect our lives so profoundly, and yet so differently. While that writer understandably found herself unable to write following the death of her father by contrast I have always escaped whatever troubles me through the craft of writing…
Doing the research right By J. H. Bográn
Doing research for your book can be a chore or it can be fun but as today’s guest blogger tells us, it has to be done right… Many memes are doing the rounds on the internet that poke fun at the research habits of writers. For most of them, the punch-line is…
PJ’s Top 5 Self-care Tools for Writers
PJ Sharon has some great tips about self care all writers need after spending time at the keyboards… Ever wish you had a massage therapist on call for those times your knots have knots and your neck and back make you feel a hundred years old? Well, unless you’re a bestselling author making a…
Monday Motivation
“Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. It’s hard to stay on top.” – Paul Coffey I thought this quote is true of anything you do in life but especially relevant to being an author. Becoming a good writer and getting published takes time. (Even if you’ve…