Writing Tips

Want an Accountability Partner? Consider This First.

Maybe you’ve heard of accountability partners. Maybe you’ve considered getting one. But what is an accountability partner, really, and how do you get someone to help? For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, “accountability partner” is teaming up with someone who will keep you accountable for your writing progress. For example, your… Continue reading Want an Accountability Partner? Consider This First.

Writing Tips

Inundated with Writing Advice

There comes a point in every writer’s career that they seek out feedback and advice from others. Whether that be critique partners, beta readers, or studying craft books, writers are often doing their best to continuously hone their skills. And while that is commendable, there comes a point where a writer can feel overwhelmed by the… Continue reading Inundated with Writing Advice

Miscellaneous · Writing Tips

How to Enjoy Reading as a Writer (And Complete Those Reading Goals)

It’s summertime, which means beach reads are among us. Not to mention the fact that we’re halfway through 2021. (Eek!) How far along are you on your reading goals? I aim to read 52 books a year. I’m definitely not there yet. But I know a lot of us take this time of the year… Continue reading How to Enjoy Reading as a Writer (And Complete Those Reading Goals)

Miscellaneous

What Happened When I Opened an Old Manuscript that I Hadn’t Read in Three Years

Three years ago, I shelved a manuscript that I loved dearly but had to set aside in order to work on another project gaining interest in the market. It wasn’t a hard decision. At the time, I had just finished its third rewrite and, though it had recently won a writing contest, my other piece… Continue reading What Happened When I Opened an Old Manuscript that I Hadn’t Read in Three Years

Miscellaneous

How to Name Your Characters

Naming your characters, especially your main characters, can feel like a daunting task. Some enjoy the thrill of it; others struggle a lot, and never quite feel like they found the “right” name.  I, for one, love naming characters. I often joke that baby name books are some of my favorite reads and, in fact, I’ve… Continue reading How to Name Your Characters

Miscellaneous

Writing Crying Scenes

Crying is a common experience. “A study in the 1980s found that women cry an average of 5.3 times per month and men cry an average of 1.3 times per month. A newer study found that the average duration for a crying session was eight minutes.” (Heathline) Does this mean your characters should cry that much in your story? Probably… Continue reading Writing Crying Scenes

Miscellaneous

Using the Later App as an Author: A review

Later is a desktop and mobile phone app that allows you to schedule your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn posts. Here's my review on if this app will help, or hinder, you.

Miscellaneous

When You Don’t Write As Much As You Should

Recently, I didn’t write as much as I should have over a few weeks. Or should I say, I didn’t write as much as I thought I should have.  Let me break it down.  Every first of the month, I take a moment to look at my stats and see how much I've written. In March, I wrote… Continue reading When You Don’t Write As Much As You Should

Miscellaneous

Looking Back on my Pantser Novel

“Are you a pantser or a plotter?” is a common question writers hear. Why? There’s something inherently interesting about how someone turns a blank page into a 350-page novel. Sure, it's easy to say that one word after another leads to a sentence, which eventually becomes a chapter, before those chapters build a book. But there’s so… Continue reading Looking Back on my Pantser Novel

Miscellaneous

On Hiatus!

If you follow me on social media, then you probably already know this, but I am on hiatus for the time being. I’ve recently become a first-time home buyer, and we’re in the process of moving. Life is just a *little* busy. I also want to live in the moment and enjoy this time before… Continue reading On Hiatus!