Writing Tips

A Sneak Peek of the Free Writing Classes I’m Teaching This Spring

I’m teaching two free, virtual writing classes this month! I know how signing up for an educational event can feel daunting…or just plain time consuming. Which is why I thought I’d give you all a sneak peek of what’s coming up. That way, you can make a more informed decision on if the content is what you’re looking… Continue reading A Sneak Peek of the Free Writing Classes I’m Teaching This Spring

Writing Tips

Why You Should Never Call a Draft Final

Avoid naming any draft “final.” It will only lead to confusion and frustration down the road. Instead, try these shortcuts to stay organized.

Miscellaneous

2022: My Complete Year

At the end of every year, I write a reflection post about where I’m at, not just in my writing life, but also in my personal life and how it all correlates.  I’m calling 2022 My Complete Year because it coincides with how I called 2021 the Year of Unfinished Change.  Last year, I got… Continue reading 2022: My Complete Year

Writing Tips

Writing (and Working) While Pregnant: Third Trimester

I am 37 weeks pregnant, which means I am full-term, but have a few weeks to go and, honestly, I didn’t want to wait any longer to write this blog post. Why? Because I’m tired. If I wait any longer, I’m not sure I’ll be able to get the blog post out on time. (Not… Continue reading Writing (and Working) While Pregnant: Third Trimester

Publishing Advice

Researching Literary Agents in 2022

As promised in my last post - Writing a Great One-Line Pitch for Your 2022 Query Letter - I wanted to talk about researching literary agents in 2022. Granted, I am going to start with the caveat that I only have experience querying kidlit books. More specifically YA/MG, contemporary and fantasy. So that’s where this post… Continue reading Researching Literary Agents in 2022

Miscellaneous

Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book

Publishing is hard. We all know that. What makes it harder is bad timing and unclear focus. It’s easy to get lost in the art of writing long before you consider the business of writing, but at the end of the day, publishing is a business. You should have your business plan in mind before… Continue reading Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book

Publishing Advice · Writing Tips

Make This Your #1 Writing Goal in 2022

Happy New Year!  Can you believe it’s 2022? I know I sure can’t. This year, I will have my ten-year blogging anniversary in September. That fact alone gives me a lot of reasons to reflect. But enough about reflecting. What about taking action? Setting goals can be a tricky business. How many should you set?… Continue reading Make This Your #1 Writing Goal in 2022

Miscellaneous

An Ode to My Laptop

My trusted laptop since 2014 died the other week. I know that may not sound like a big deal, but for me, it was like letting go of an old friend. You see, writers spend an extraordinary amount of time on their computers. There are very few days in the year that I don’t use… Continue reading An Ode to My Laptop

Author Announcements · Publishing Advice · Writing Tips

Behind the Scenes of Pitch Wars with Team Stellify

In case you missed it, Team Stellify announced our 2021 mentee for Pitch Wars! (But more on that below.) Since announcement day has come and gone, I thought it would be fun to give everyone a behind-the-scenes peek at what went down with Team Stellify. This year, Sandra Proudman and I decided to mentor a… Continue reading Behind the Scenes of Pitch Wars with Team Stellify

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