My baby turned four months old yesterday, which is both mind blowing and incredibly exciting. (It really does go by so fast.) Now that we’ve officially made it one month of her going to daycare while I work full-time (and write novels), I thought it was time for a writing life update. And honestly? This… Continue reading My Postpartum Writing Life: Working-Writing Mom with a 4-Month-Old
Tag: novel writing
Sometimes Writing That Book Was A Waste Of Time
Before you freak at the title, please know that the point of blogging titles is to get you here, and now you’re here, so voilà. That said, I really do believe writing a book can be a waste of time. Why is that such a controversial thing to say? I know that the publishing industry… Continue reading Sometimes Writing That Book Was A Waste Of Time
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
The Truth About Giving Up on Writing
Have you ever considered giving up on writing? I know I have. Though I’ve been writing stories as long as I can remember, I consider myself as having two true starts. 1) When I was eleven, my mom died unexpectedly, and I told myself that day I would spend my life pursuing my dreams, no… Continue reading The Truth About Giving Up on Writing
2021: The Year of Dramatic, Unfinished Change
Every year, I take time to reflect on where I am, where I’ve been, and where I’m going. Last year was deemed The Strangest Writing Year (Hopefully?), and this year, I’ve decided to call it The Year of Dramatic, Unfinished Change. (Though, that may be too dramatic in itself.) Onto why that is (and also… Continue reading 2021: The Year of Dramatic, Unfinished Change
How to Plot a Series and Make Every Book Stand Out
As an author with three series under my belt, I’m often asked how to plot a series, and I thought it was finally time to share a few tips. First thing is first, anyone considering traditional publishing should make book one a standalone. Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to have the dream of writing a series,… Continue reading How to Plot a Series and Make Every Book Stand Out
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.
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
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
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
Shannon A. Thompson 