And so today we come to the nuts and bolts of prepping for a novel, the third in a series. (And probably the last, but I feel my brain reaching for more, so maybe not, stay tuned.) You can read the first two posts here and here, and I've also got them listed at the […]
So, you've decided to take the plunge and write a novel. Perhaps you might be wondering where to begin. Or if you are taking the plunge for a second or third or fourth time, maybe this time you've vowed to get organized ahead of time so you don't spend weeks going down fruitless plot paths. […]
When it comes to fiction writing, lately I've been struggling. First I was totally committed to writing one novel. Oh, but no. Then I decided that I absolutely, positively was in love with a different idea. Until I desperately needed to work on yet a third idea, the best one yet! This has been my […]
Writing prompts…love 'em or hate 'em. Some people swear by them, while others shudder at the thought of using a writing prompt in their work. Because, too often, using random writing prompts can lead you astray. And let's face it, most prompts are a bit on the random side, aren't they? Those books of prompts […]
Worrying is not good for your writing or your creativity. Or anything else, really. How can you write the next great American novel when you are obsessing about how to pay the bills? Or if your marriage is going to survive? Or if your teenager is going to make it through high school without getting […]
I'm in the midst of a marketing program given by Christine Kane, and she talks some in it about vision boards. A blog post that she did on creating vision boards comes up first when you do a google search for the words, which is some strong google juju, let me tell you. So […]
As I work on my novel rewrite, I keep trying to find the writing schedule that works best for me. To my mind, there are two main ways to fit working on a big writing project into your life: 1. Make time every day. Get up early, stay up late, write during your lunch hour, […]
So, it was a weekend spent mostly away from the computer. Two days spent celebrating my birthday with family and friends. And suddenly it is Monday morning again. Besides numerous manuscripts to read for people and a bunch of unfinished assignments, there's the novel rewrite to get back to once again. And despite the fact […]
Years ago, I asked one of my MFA mentors how to go about rewriting the novel I was then working on. As I recall, she told me to sit down with the manuscript and re-read it. Um, not the most helpful of advice. Yes, it is imperative to reread a manuscript when you are going […]
Recalcitrant: re-cal-ci-trant -adjective 1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory 2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate This describes exactly one of the characters in my novel. Actually he's very passive aggressive in the novel, but as I've been trying to get to know him better, he's been recalcitrant, unyielding in […]
