(Scroll down for bonus video. It's Mary McGregor singing "Torn Between Two Lovers." You know you want to watch it.) Please tell me this has happened to you. You're happily writing, making good some forward progress on your novel when all of a sudden, out of nowhere one morning, comes an idea. Inspiration for another […]
This morning, thanks to Karen Woodward, I was introduced to a series on ghostwriting a novel in 10 days by Dean Wesley Smith. Yes, I said 10 days. As in, writing a full, complete novel in 10 days. Dean Wesley Smith is ghosting a novel contracted by a major publisher for an author who is […]
Writing is magic. We think up an idea, and put it on the page. Whole worlds spring to life beneath our fingers. And all we need to do this, at base, is a pen and paper. Oh, sure, a typewriter or computer helps, but if worse came to worse you could do without one and […]
It has come to my attention recently that I am a plotter, not a pantser. In case you're not familiar with these terms, here's a rundown: A plotter is someone who, well, plots. He figures out the story ahead of time, outlining plot, designing characters, making copious notes. A pantser flies by the seat of […]
The protagonist in my WIP just morphed. When I started writing her, she was one way and now suddenly she's another. (With the demands of launching my novel, I haven't had the time to actually put these changes into effect, but I've taken lots of notes. And I think about it all the time.) It's […]
My buddy, Reavis Wortham, invited me to be part of a Blog Hop, and I can't say no to Reavis, especially when he's wearing his cowboy hat, so here I am, participating. (You really should go on over to the Rev's site and check out his award-winning mysteries–they're pretty awesome.) The questions for the Hop […]
Novel writing is much on my mind these days. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that my debut novel, Emma Jean's Bad Behavior, is due out February 12. Not only that, but next week I'll be in Nashville to talk to a local writer's group and give a workshop about Scene […]
Two stories: Story number one I'm sitting at my computer, laughing. My husband asks me what I'm chuckling about. "Oh, I'm proofing my novel. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but Emma Jean makes me laugh, even though I wrote her." I've gone through edits, and copy edits, and now one round […]
Yeah, so, you want to write a novel. And you're even thinking of doing Nanowrimo this year. (Nanowrimo = National Novel Writing Month, just in case you don't know, and it's in November.) But then the voices begin: The dreaded blank page. You'll never get published. Why bother? It's a waste of time. You could […]
I'm deep into the edits for my novel, Emma Jean's Bad Behavior, and some things are becoming apparent. As in, writing tic type things. As in, the little silly stuff I do over and over again. I thought sharing these tics might be helpful to you. I know I'll be much more conscious of them […]
