If you know me at all, you know I don't believe in "writer's block." It's just a catch-all phrase we use to talk about the various reasons we're struggling with our writing, and one of the most common things I see aspiring authors struggle with is … [Continue reading] about Dealing with Overwhelm
Blog
Remind Us What Your Character Looks Like
When you're writing a story, be it fiction or non-fiction, it is critical that the reader be able to picture your characters. The more characters you have, the more important it is to remind us. If all I know about them are their names, they will be … [Continue reading] about Remind Us What Your Character Looks Like
The Importance of Story Structure
If you've been following my journey recently, you know that I've delved back into an old project, one I initiated during NANoWriMo in 2019. No outline, no plan—just an idea and 50,000 words of what I can only describe as a hot mess. As I navigate … [Continue reading] about The Importance of Story Structure
How to Turn Your Half-Finished Novel into a Completed Manuscript
I hope the start of January 2024 has been treating you well so far. Today, I want to discuss a topic that's close to every writer's heart this time of year: turning that half-finished novel into a completed manuscript. It took me eight years to … [Continue reading] about How to Turn Your Half-Finished Novel into a Completed Manuscript
Best Books of 2023
I read 52 books this year. Of those, I didn't finish some of them (I'm pretty quick to put books down these days), and nine stand out as excellent reads. These are the books that stayed with me, the ones I thought back on after I'd finished … [Continue reading] about Best Books of 2023
Please Don’t Send Your NaNoWriMo Manuscript to Agents
Well, it's officially December, and for a lot of writers out there that means NaNoWriMo is over. Did you do it? Did you hit your goal? If you did (and, hell, even for those who gave it their best shot) I'm so effing proud of you. You did … [Continue reading] about Please Don’t Send Your NaNoWriMo Manuscript to Agents
The Best Ways to Write About Weight
Some writers may fear touching on such a controversial topic as weight, thinking it would be better to stay within the boundaries of societal neutrality. However, if you’re willing to engage in the thoroughness and empathy that writing about … [Continue reading] about The Best Ways to Write About Weight