Charlotte Rains Dixon

Answering Your Writing Questions: First Person

On Friday, I offered to answer any and all of your writing-related questions, and some good ones have come in. Today, I answer a question from mystery writer and loyal reader J.D. Frost: When writing in first person, can I stay in active voice without beginning every sentence with I? This problem is the very […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Writing

Question, Question, You’ve Got Writing Questions? I’ve Got Answers

I had a brainstorm yesterday. As is my wont (for some reason I absolutely love that phrase), I was visiting my usual haunts on the internet, among them the Pioneer Woman's blog. And there I found that she is putting on her advice columnist hat and answering questions about reader's problems. And the thought occurred […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Book Review

Review: Artist’s Way Toolkit

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club, but the opinions are mine. Regular readers of this blog know that I'm a huge fan of Julia Cameron. I've done the program laid out in The Artist's Way on my own and in groups led by Julia herself (in Taos, New Mexico, one of my […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/06/2015

Motivation

Checking in on the Three Words of the Year

Did you choose three words (or one word) to live by this year? Have you checked back to see how you're doing with these words? Last December, in a post titled Three Powerful Words for An Amazing New Year, I announced my words and the thought behind them. Since we're halfway (gasp) through the year, […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Character

Saturday Writing Tip: Use Yourself as Inspiration for Characters

I know, duh. Don't all writers use themselves as inspiration? (Some, such as memoir writers, obviously more than others.) What I'm talking about today is using your own thoughts, reactions, and feelings as a springboard to create characters. Here's how you do it: 1. Write a journal entry as yourself 2. Now write that same […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Motivation

What Are Your Writing Non-Negotiables?

I think writing non-negotiables are a great idea. What are they? Writing non-negotiables are the the tasks you don't negotiate with yourself, you just do. They are the one thing or several things that you must–in agreement with yourself–do every day. If you don't do them, you'll feel lousy. If you do them, you'll feel […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Writing Inspiration

12 Habits That Will Bolster a Consistent Writing Practice

Brief aside before we get started: Welcome to all of you who have found your way here from BlogHer! I'm so pleased you are here. You can navigate five year's worth of content on writing, inspiration, creativity and spirituality through the subject cloud in the right sidebar. And please stay in touch by subscribing to […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Book Writing Outlines

To Outline, or Not To Outline, That is the Question

People in the world can be categorized in a variety of ways: Night owls vs. larks. Creative vs. non-creative (Though I believe everyone is creative, it is all in your attitude about it.) Dentists vs. non-dentists. And for writers: Outliners vs. Non-outliners. Outliners, at least in popular thought, tend to be control freaks, tight, anxious, […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Novel Writing Writing Process

Knowing What You’re Going to Write Before You Write

How many words do you put on the page in a typical writing session? 500? 1,000? When I wrote my novel, Emma Jean's Bad Behavior, my deal with myself was to write 2,000 words a day. Didn't matter when I wrote them, but if I hadn't written them before bedtime, I had to stay up […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

Book Review

Book Review: The First Husband

This is a paid book review for the BlogHer Book Club, but the opinions are mine, all mine. The First Husband by Laura Dave This book is snappy. As in, it snaps right along. Pick it up and begin reading and before you know it, you're fifty pages in. The novel tells the story of […]

Charlotte Rains Dixon 14 years ago11/03/2015

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