I finished my first panster novel. For those of you who don’t know what a panster is in publishing, it basically means you write with no plan, no outline, nothing. You write by the seat of your pants. Hence, panster. Typically, I’m an outliner. A pretty detailed one, I might add. There’s something comforting about knowing my… Continue reading Finishing My First Pantser Novel
How I Revise My Novels
I talk a lot about writing, creating, marketing, editing, etc. But I haven’t specifically discussed the revision process. But isn’t revising and editing the same thing, you ask. No, not really. Though the lines can definitely blur, revising is a stage that comes before editing. Revising is knowing what to keep in your work, what… Continue reading How I Revise My Novels
My Experience Querying & Getting an Agent
Recently, as many of you know, I signed with a literary agent. (See announcement.) It’s a time a lot of writers dream of, a time highlighted with celebratory GIF tweets screaming, I did it! I did it! And I’m READY. It’s a lot of fun, definitely exciting, and often followed up with a “How I Got My… Continue reading My Experience Querying & Getting an Agent
Life Changes: Literary Agent + New Job!
Hey all! In case you missed it, I’ve had a crazy past month. (Hence why I missed a blog post last week. My bad.) Not only did I attend the LitUP Festival, where I had the utmost joy of introducing Adib Khorram, author of DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, L.L. McKinney, author of A… Continue reading Life Changes: Literary Agent + New Job!
How I Outline (And Write) My Novels
Foreword: This week has been crazy. Between attending the LitUp Festival today, trying to coordinate the cover for TOOK ME YESTERDAY (the sequel of TAKE ME TOMORROW) on Wattpad, and some other crazy exciting news, I almost (ALMOST) let this blog post get away from me. (Thank the writing gods for iCalendar reminders.) That being… Continue reading How I Outline (And Write) My Novels
Writing with a Motivational Calendar
My life has changed quite a bit over the past year. Between moving and starting (two) new jobs, I’ve had to adjust my writing life and the way I think about my writing life. As many of you know, I currently work full time at the library and then work part time as a freelance… Continue reading Writing with a Motivational Calendar
YASH Spring 2019!
Welcome to the YA Scavenger Hunt! Hello! I’m Shannon A. Thompson—YA SFF author, librarian, and neighborhood cat lady. About Me! During the day, I work in marketing for the Mid-Continent Public Library, the largest library system in Kansas City, but at night, I write stories about monsters and mayhem. I’m currently working on a monster… Continue reading YASH Spring 2019!
Learning to Write from TV: The Umbrella Academy Edition
Writers are often told to read (and read a lot) in order to know how to write. And while I totally agree with that sentiment, I also think writers can learn from other forms of media. Yes, including TV shows. (Even TV shows adapted from a novel or comic book.) In fact, I think TV… Continue reading Learning to Write from TV: The Umbrella Academy Edition
My Average Day as an Author
Despite tons of movies and books revolving around authors and publishers, the life of the average author is still pretty mysterious to most. Why? Hollywood never gets publishing right. Ever. This is the one fact agents, editors, publicists, and authors agree with. An author’s journey to publication is unique, VERY unique, and authors’ lives reflect… Continue reading My Average Day as an Author
Is it Possible to Read Too Much as a Writer?
Last year, I read 167 books according to Goodreads. Granted, this is a mixture of everything under the publishing sun: adult fiction, YA, MG, graphic novels, and, yes, even picture books. My job at the library has definitely broadened my reading sphere, for which I’m super grateful. (I never knew picture books could be so… Continue reading Is it Possible to Read Too Much as a Writer?
