Tell me if this sounds familiar: You have never written a novel. You have started numerous projects, made some decent progress into them—around 10-15k words, maybe—but then…you fizzle out. Every time. Once you make it past the part of your story planned out in your head, beyond whatever nugget of narrative you were able to… Continue reading From Pantser to Planner: The Evolution of A Writing Process
Category: Writing
The One and Only Lesson Self-Published Authors Can Learn From M.R. Mathias
Not too long ago, self-published author M.R. Mathias went on quite a tirade at fantasy-faction.com about how his self-promotional forum post should not have been moved from the general books forum into the self-published/small press forum. You can read the whole thing from Fantasy Faction’s perspective here: “The Man Who Thought He Was King.” Now,… Continue reading The One and Only Lesson Self-Published Authors Can Learn From M.R. Mathias
Hey, Newbie! Stop Writing!
Hey, Newbie! That’s right. You. Yeah, you. Stop writing. You heard me. Stop writing. Right now. Just stop. You done? Good, now we can move on. When I teach composition, I start out the semester by telling the students that I have one rule about writing. That it’s a simple rule. I get in front… Continue reading Hey, Newbie! Stop Writing!
Summer 2012 Goals
When my dad died on April 3, all the lofty goals I had set for myself and the coming summer went poof. I wasn’t able to concentrate–still can’t to the level that I was–and I just didn’t have the drive to write. I still don’t, to be honest, but I’m making myself. Baby steps and… Continue reading Summer 2012 Goals
What is the Worst Thing That Can Happen in this Chapter?
Think about what makes you keep reading a book. Is it when everything works out well? Is it when the story finally fits together like a month-long jigsaw puzzle? Is it when the end of the book is exactly what you expected from the prologue? Of course not! That would be silly and boring! You… Continue reading What is the Worst Thing That Can Happen in this Chapter?