Time for another Hi Susan post. This week’s question comes from Chloe who asked about my suggestions for those days when you know you should be working on your story but can’t find the motivation. First tip is never push yourself. It’s okay to take a day or two off but don’t let not…
Tag: authors
Aim To Be Awful…it’s the key to great writing
Family and friends have always known that I’ve harbored a secret desire to paint. It’s been on my to do list and last year I dived straight in. Well, I say dived straight in but that isn’t really true. I looked at the watercolor paper, had the paints set out at the side of…
Friday Ramblings From An Author-Classes and More Classes
There’s been a touch of fall in the air but it’s perfect take your work outside weather. In fact, I had an outside office for most of the afternoon. I’m happy to say I think the fresh air made me more productive. So give outside writing a try and see what happens. I have some classes…
Hi Susan, Do You Always Have to Write About What You Know?
Here’s something new I thought I’d launch on TWL, my response to questions I get sent from aspiring writers. I’m calling it Hi Susan so if you have a question about anything writing related whether it be fiction or non-fiction just leave a comment or you can send it to me via writerslifeblog@gmail.com. The first question…
Me, Myself, and I-Writing in the First Person
Raise your hand if you write (or want to write) stories in the first person? It’s hard for me to guess the exact percentage of you who are holding your hand high in the air. I have lots of students who tell me they’d love to give it a try but feel it’s too difficult….
Monday Motivation-Don’t View It As Failure
Edison probably wasn’t talking about writing when he made this quote but it’s ideal inspiration for authors. So what if a plot doesn’t go as planned, or the characters fall flat, or another rejection hits your mailbox. You’ve not failed. It’s just that something didn’t quite work for that story. Fire up the computer and start…
Anthologies-Ideal for Beginning Writers
I’m often asked for suggestions about markets that are more willing to consider new writers. There are a lot out there. Some will pay you a small amount while others will pay in copies. One market area I had a lot of success with was anthologies. In fact, I think being published in four anthologies at the…
Friday Ramblings From An Author-Always Proofread
This week I know what the person who first coined the term TGIF was thinking. This one’s even Friday the 13th. It seems like it’s a busy week and I’ve lost count on how many words I’ve written or read. Ever been so word fatiqued that you’re not sure if you’re spelling simple words like the and…
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Tell a non-writer you’re an author and the first question out of their mouth is usually, where do you get your ideas? Sometimes it’s a puzzle for writers too. What happens when the story idea bank runs dry? When I began writing, one major issue I had was one too many story ideas. They’d…
Wednesday Writing Prompts-Lighthouse
For this week’s prompt let’s get into a summer mood and thinking about beaches and the sea and focus on a lighthouse. Does your character see one while out at sea? Are they lost at sea? Are they visiting an old lighthouse…maybe they’re returning to one they visited at a child. Maybe it’s a lighthouse…