We’ve all heard the saying, right? If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… It’s a DUCK. Or, how about this one: The way you do ANYTHING is the way you do EVERYTHING. I was thinking of this saying the other day, for various reasons, and I realized that I haven’t always […]
Note: this entry was originally posted on 2/17/2010. I’ve resurrected it here for convenience and because it is hella pertinent to my current situation. And probably, several of yours. Like every unpublished young writer, I yearn for the day when my name is not familiar to a mere handful of people, but uttered with reverence […]
You know how I’m always blogging about the perilous allure of original ideas? Those little bastard darlings that seem so promising…so perfect at first glance, but which inevitably end up stalling and dying in mid-thought at some point down the road? We abandon them not because we want to, but because, for whatever reason–at that […]
Today, I have just one piece of writing advice: If you ever want to finish another book, DO NOT download this game. That is all. (At least until I beat this damn level….) WordPress.com Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list… Blogger WordPress.com
Also, did I mention that I’m judging a pitch contest next month? Because I am. So. Excited! News HERE Contest website HERE Calling all pitch virgins!!! *Cracks Whip* PREPARE TO BE SCHOOLED.
I was going to write a post about SEX. But then something came up. (No punnuendo intended.) And the something that came up so perfectly grasped the point of this post, (Definite punnuendo here) That I decided to combine the two. In the form of slam poetry. So. Here we go. *** Inspiration. Oh sexy, […]
Yesterday, I missed my first Thursday’s Children blog hop in like…eight weeks. I deeply regret this. However, it does illustrate a very important truth: Sometimes, you have to give up writing, in order to write. I’ll leave you to decide what this very enigmatic statement means to you. Until next week…here’s a comic: (Cyanide and […]
So your story has ISSUES. That’s why you’re revising it, right? Here’s some expert advice on how to fix those issues of yours. Issue #2: STORY STRUCTURE What is it? In its most basic form, story structure has been described by many as “the bones” of your story. The skeleton, or the scaffolding, if you […]
So your story has issues. That’s why you’re revising it, right? Here’s some advice from the experts on HOW you can fix those issues. Issue #1: PACING What is it? Speed. Momentum. Getalong. The pace by which your story goes forward. What’s wrong with it? “A key ingredient of proper pacing is balance,” author MaryAnn […]
Welcome to my new(est) blog series, SEVEN QUESTIONS with SUPER INTERESTING PEOPLE! Today’s 7Q features debut autor Maryann Kempher V: Tell me about yourself. MK: My family moved to Reno NV, where Mocha, Moonlight, and Murder is set when I was 15. I currently live in Florida with my husband and two children, two dogs and one cat. […]
Sometimes, being a writer can feel like being a kid in a candy store. Especially when you’re embarking on a new WIP. There are so many ideas out there, just waiting to be plucked from the ether and made into incredible stories. Although it seems more popular to complain about a lack of inspiration, or […]
Disclaimer: It’s ridiculous how often I find myself equating writing with dating. But just when I think I’ve exhausted every clichéd romantic analogy, another one rolls up in an Oldsmobile Cutlass and camps outside my window, hoisting a boom box. (Sigh…) It’s futile, you guys. Writing and romance are inextricably linked. We’re just gonna have to GET […]
I was inspired to write this by a comment on the last post, wherein Jaye Robin Brown mentioned “second half of life intentions.” I’d been meaning to blog about this for a while, but well…in an ironic twist of irony, I kept putting it off. (Author’s note: sometimes when blogging, I am intentionally redundant. Just go with […]
I’ve never tried to write a romance before. In fact, I used to promise–quite vehemently–that I could never take myself seriously as a romance writer. Not because I don’t have a TON of respect for other writers in this genre, but because, well… I’m the kind of girl who’s never been able to watch a love scene […]
As most writers know, rejection is a very large–and very important–part of what we do. For me, it’s actually (and I know this is going to sound totally insane) one of my favorite parts. Not because I find it pleasant, (“how do I find thou lacking, let me count the ways….”) but because I’m one of […]
She wanted to lose it, and *spoiler* it got lost. I’m a bit dubious about the details, though. Sue me.
Dear Friends, I’m afraid today’s post is more like a cry for help than an inspirational and/or amusing rant. The gist is this: I’m attending a conference at the end of April–about which I am very, extremely stoked–and I need to submit the first 10 pages of a WIP for editor critique. The problem? All […]
Inspired by Originality (Or lack thereof) Writers complain about a lot of things. Some might say that it’s an important part of what we do. Dickens liked to complain about class inequality. Hemingway complained about the improbability of lasting true love. Poe complained about some damn bird that wouldn’t leave him alone one night. All […]
Okay, so the title makes this sound a bit like a cereal ad. And I should probably mention that there isn’t really just ONE secret to writing a good query letter, or any letter for that matter. But here’s one thing I can give you that is practically GUARANTEED to take your lackluster, form-rejected query […]
This month, I’m embarking on a somewhat NaNoWriMo-like goal of completing my current WIP within a single month. MARCH MADNESS. This is like NaNo, in that it requires strict attention to time limits, but it is unlike NaNo in that there isn’t a word count, it’s not limited to just writing goals, and there are PRIZES. […]
I hate the term “writer’s block.” Not because it isn’t apt, but because I feel like it singles out writers and seems to suggest that we–unlike others who toil in a creative vocation–are the sole owners of this metaphorical brain boulder. Like Sisyphus (apparently), we writers are forever doomed to push this gigantic block before […]
(Bonus points if you can tell me the name of this song ^^^) Acknowledgements: Today’s post is inspired by Rhiann Wynn-Nolet‘s post, “Inspired by Adolescent Boys (and Music).” A lot of my writer friends say they like to listen to music as they write or before they write, and some authors have even gone as far as […]
Once again, just in case anyone forgot, here are the rules of this award: 1. Display this award logo on your blog. PROUDLY. 2. Link back to the person who nominated you. (Hint: it’s me.) 3. State 7 things about yourself. (See previous post on this blog for examples…probably of what you shouldn’t do.) 4. […]
One of my very favorite Twitter followers, who ALWAYS laughs at my lame jokes–or at least pretends to–who goes by the name of Rhiann Wynn-Nolet, has nominated me for this thing: Which I think is totes SFC (aka SUPER-F#%€ING-COOL) and therefore, I am prompted to pass the metaphorical torch to seven lucky others. (Which I will announce […]
In dating and in life, there are certain rules a girl is supposed to follow. 1. Dress for the job/title you want, instead of the one you have 2. Always appear less interested/willing/desperate than you actually are 3. Keep your eyes and ears open, and count to three before you talk 4. No matter how much […]
VP Anderson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.