April Davila - Author
Last week, I picked up my son from school and he sprung one of those last-minute requests on me, like kids do: "Mom, I need a book on Leonardo da Vinci - by tomorrow." The timing couldn't have been worse. We had a long drive home and would only just … [Continue reading] about Librarians: The Unsung Heroes of Our Communities
Three years ago, Kensington Books released my debut novel, "142 Ostriches." It was February of 2020 and if you didn't read any of the great reviews it's probably because there was another story dominating the news cycle... Because of COVID I didn't … [Continue reading] about Celebrating Three Years of “142 Ostriches” (and some exciting news)
In the labyrinth of creativity, every writer, at some point, finds themselves at a crossroads, staring down the branching path ahead, not sure which way to. It's a place where words refuse to flow, ideas seem as elusive as shadows, and motivation is … [Continue reading] about The Science of Reading for Inspiration
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
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
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
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