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 […]
Hey guys! Welcome to my new (sometimes) Sunday Blog Series, V Reviews Books and/or Movies in 20 Words or Less. (The title is a little unwieldy. I’ll work on that.) Enjoy! WARM BODIES review, by V: Expected nothing from the book. Expected little from the movie. Was pleasantly surprised by both. Brains.
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. […]
1. Short people absolutely DO have a reason to live. 2. MILFs can be very, very dangerous. 3. If you ain’t nothing but a Hound, dog… [getting wasted and] crying all the time, you’re never getting laid. Chicks don’t dig that, man. 4. Keep guys with ponytails and weird names the hell away from your […]
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 […]
When I was eleven years old, my one goal in life was to achieve the holy grail of pre-teen girl existence: the BFF. (Or, as my favorite book series at the time called it, a “Bosom Friend.”) A little less than a year later, I met my dear friend Colee at summer camp, and we’ve stayed in touch–in spite of the […]
(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 […]
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 […]
Today is a day of mixed emotions. Lately, I’ve been really optimistic about this whole publishing process, happily and busily working away at my next WIP while waiting for good things to happen. And I believe they will, because sometimes life IS awesome. Sometimes, just like when you’re working on a manuscript, there are moments […]
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 […]
I’ve recently discovered that I write in a genre called New Adult. It almost sounds made up, doesn’t it? Author’s Note: for those of you who frequent this site, you’ll know that I have a lot of strong opinions. That I don’t hesitate to dabble in hyperbole, or make blanket statements for the sake of […]
A man known as Shakespeare once wrote*, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – (Twelfth Night: Act II, Scene V) *I say “known as” because I recently watched the movie Anonymous, and now find myself doubting along with numerous other skeptics. Regardless […]
Like most of my efforts, NaNoWriMo 2012 began with the flash and intensity of cannon fire. The first thirty thousand words flew by. But then, gravity kicked in. Life interceded. Other ideas clouded the trajectory. And before I knew it, my promising young thought comet had stalled in midair. It’s a common problem, or so […]
Everyone has their hang-ups when it comes to writing. For a lot of people, finding the time or motivation to write is their biggest problem. For a friend of mine, it’s discovering the confidence to write, and keep writing until the end of a story regardless of whether it comes out the way she imagined. For me, it’s […]
Here are some things that alternately INSPIRE me to write and distract me from writing: How about you? What inspires you to write? What is your biggest challenge, when it comes to splitting your focus? Do share.
Almost six weeks into the querying process for my first novel, and suddenly I realize: I’m going about this all wrong. I’ve been looking at this whole thing like it’s dating–which, in my defense, there are a TON of parallels between the publishing process and trying to find “the one”–but it’s really a lot more […]
I have a confession to make. I was never a very good reporter. Though I majored in print journalism and worked as a television journalist / field reporter / producer for several years, I never had what you might call that “Lois Lane tenacity,” that impulse to doggedly pursue a story with little or no […]
As the first day of National Novel Writing Month 2012 draws to a close, I find myself embroiled in the first 3,000 words (ish) of a bloody, nostalgic romp through my hometown. I’m not sure if it’s homesickness during the holidays, or some deeply seated need to murder the insecurities of my youth in grand, dramatic fashion. […]
VP Anderson 
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