Tag: writing a novel

Miscellaneous

2022: My Complete Year

Shannon A Thompson7 Comments

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

Shannon A Thompson4 Comments

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 · Writing Tips

What It’s Like Going Unpublished for Five Years

Shannon A Thompson11 Comments

My last published novel - Bad Bloods: July Lightning - released on July 24, 2017. Five years ago.  That fact can feel pretty staggering some days. Obviously, more so when the anniversary comes up than other times of the year. But alas, here we are, standing at a time of reflection.  Back in 2017, I… Continue reading What It’s Like Going Unpublished for Five Years

Writing Tips

Sometimes Writing That Book Was A Waste Of Time

Shannon A Thompson12 Comments

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

Miscellaneous

Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book

Shannon A Thompson5 Comments

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

Shannon A Thompson6 Comments

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

Author Announcements · Publishing Advice · Writing Tips

Behind the Scenes of Pitch Wars with Team Stellify

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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

Writing the Cliffhanger

Shannon A Thompson5 Comments

Love them or hate them, cliffhangers are popular and utilized in lots of books nowadays, even the ones that never get (or intend) a sequel to follow up the ending.  So what’s the difference between a cliffhanger that makes a reader pick up the next book and the one that makes the reader chuck the… Continue reading Writing the Cliffhanger

Writing Tips

Writing About Grief

Shannon A Thompson4 Comments

As someone who usually writes science fiction and fantasy, I decided to take a sharp turn during these last few months of 2021 to write my first contemporary. It’s a verse novel, centered on the loss of my mother when I was 11. (For those of you who are new to my blog, she died… Continue reading Writing About Grief

Author Announcements · Writing Tips

What Writers Can Learn from Reading Their OLD Work

Shannon A Thompson6 Comments

I’ve been writing stories ever since I learned how to write. I’m not kidding. My first pieces of work go back to when I was 4 years old. My first story was a 5-page rambling piece about my new husky throwing a party so that the two older dogs would attend and possibly befriend him.… Continue reading What Writers Can Learn from Reading Their OLD Work