Last weekend, I attended my first writers' conference in a while. Let me tell you, it was a good experience, and it taught me the value of meeting with other writers, as well as taking advantage of listening to and chatting with editors and agents, people who often seem so far away from my little... Continue Reading →
Ready, set, write – A few short steps to start a novel
You have it! That killer, awesome, super cool, totally-going-to-get-you-a-literary-award-and-movie-deal idea for a novel. So what are you waiting for? Get those little fingers moving. Okay, so maybe it's not that easy. We all have some pretty good story ideas. But how do you take a big, fat, fabulous idea and streamline that baby into a can't-put-it-down-or-I'll-die kind of... Continue Reading →
Original writing – it’s not what you think
Last week, I found myself in a painting class. Now, let me tell you, this was a bit of a surprise for me. When I signed up for something called Wine & Palette, I assumed I'd be eating gourmet food and drinking delicious alcohol. I'm pretty good at those things. Instead, I found myself decked out... Continue Reading →
Rules for opening the story (easier to read than follow!)
In Twilight, the carry on was a parka. In Harry Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were perfectly normal. And in Hunger Games, the other side of the bed was cold. These are the openers for three books that have taken both the publishing world and Hollywood by storm. While the stories have grabbed the minds and hearts of... Continue Reading →
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