The other day I asked you all what topic you would most like me to cover, and editing rose to the top, so…I decided to post a month-long series on this topic—mainly because my editing process is as complicated as my writing process, and I want to get as in-depth as possible. So you can… Continue reading My Editing Process Starts in My Writing Process
The Ideal Writing Pace
Writing is a different experience for everyone. Just check out the #amwriting hashtag on Twitter and you will see authors hitting 50,000 words in two weeks…and in two years. So how long should it take to write your book? Stephen King claims to give up on a book if you can’t finish the first draft… Continue reading The Ideal Writing Pace
Challenge Your Writing
Challenging your writing is important, but what does that mean? It means trying something new—attempting a project outside your box of comfort—or switching everything up entirely. Challenging yourself can be a big or small adventure. You can try a new genre in a short story rather than a novel, for instance. But pushing yourself to… Continue reading Challenge Your Writing
First or Third Person? Present or Past Tense? How Do You Decide?
So you're writing a book...but your book requires some decisions. Your narrative needs structure. And there are a million options to choose from. So how do you decide a perspective and a tense? What is the best combination for your book? Let me start out by saying that making the choice to write in first/third… Continue reading First or Third Person? Present or Past Tense? How Do You Decide?
An Author with Poor Penmanship
Recently, I sent out letters and signed swag to some of my super fans who attended an online release day party for my books. And like so many times before that, I found myself dreading writing the letters. Why? It’s simple really. I am an author with poor penmanship. Now, please don’t tell me “I’m… Continue reading An Author with Poor Penmanship
I DNF a Book
I DNF a book. For those of you who don’t know what “DNF” means, it means I did not finish reading a novel. Not a big deal, right? Wrong. For me, I rarely put a book down after I pick it up. Why? Because I feel like if I decided to read it, I need… Continue reading I DNF a Book
The YA Protagonist’s Age: You’re 17? Me too!
The young adult genre is normally defined by coming-of-age stories, where the protagonists are often between the ages of 14 and 18. That being said, if you are publishing a YA story right now, chances are your protagonist is 17 years old. So why are most YA protagonists 17? Short Answer: The protagonist is old… Continue reading The YA Protagonist’s Age: You’re 17? Me too!
My Hate-Love Relationship with Historical Fiction
I love historical fiction. In fact, I’m currently binge reading, watching, and writing it right now. But I have a beef with it. (Does anyone even say that anymore? No? Oh, well.) If you’re curious, I’m reading Stalking Jack the Ripper, watching Reign, and writing a book set in the ancient world. Very different time… Continue reading My Hate-Love Relationship with Historical Fiction
Book Release: Bad Bloods: July Lightning!
Bad Bloods: July Lightning released today! Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads Top Ten Bad Bloods You’ll Meet In The New Duology If you’ve read the first duology in the Bad Bloods universe, then you already know how crazy, wild, and wonderful a bad blood can be. (Book 1 is free across all platforms right now.) But if… Continue reading Book Release: Bad Bloods: July Lightning!
Can Genres Die?
“Why are you writing a vampire/dystopian/princess novel? That won’t sell today! It’s been overdone. It’s dead.” If you’re a writer, you’ve probably participated in a conversation similar to the one above. Trends have a lot to do with the publishing industry. If you’re lucky enough to have something written and ready to go as the… Continue reading Can Genres Die?
