Failure sucks. When you set a goal for yourself, it can be disheartening to not reach it, no matter the circumstances. I have mentioned on this blog for several months now, I think, that I was working my way through Stephen King's IT, one of the favorite stories of my childhood. But I just can't do … Continue reading Stephen King’s IT — I Just Can’t
Tag: writing tips
SHARE: Book Cover Psychology
Book covers have been a recurring issue for me as of late. I know, right? Who'd think authors have to worry about covers and such. I've engaged with two small publishers for my fantasy manuscript In the Valley of Magic, and covers have been part of both debates. In the end, I had to pull back … Continue reading SHARE: Book Cover Psychology
3 Tips for More Productive Writing
The past year and a half has given me a few insights about writing productivity that's I'd like to share. 1) Wake up early and keep a regular schedule. I've had a lot of free time to write after quitting my full time job in 2016 (not having full-time employment has proved to not be … Continue reading 3 Tips for More Productive Writing
REBLOG: Man vs. Self – A Guide to Writing Internal Conflict — R. Morgan Stories
Here's a great rundown of psychological struggles for you characters that I couldn't help but share. R. Morgan does a great job distilling concepts like gestalt down into digestible bits. Some of you might recognize the must vs. need conflict, which I think is very similar or the same as the "truth and lie" concept in … Continue reading REBLOG: Man vs. Self – A Guide to Writing Internal Conflict — R. Morgan Stories
What Makes a Classic?
This is something that has been brewing in my head for some time. Perhaps fermenting is a better word, because it's begun to stink. I ask you, what makes a book a classic? Besides that some stuffy old white men in an ivory tower say so. What makes a book or a story endure? It's … Continue reading What Makes a Classic?
Where to Submit? — Magical Crime Scene Investigation
I have written many times here how I don't usually write specifically for prompts. But if I did, and if I had more time to write these sorts of stories, this weird anthology would be just the sort of thing I would write for. It's called "MCSI: Magical Crime Scene Investigation" and here's the description: … Continue reading Where to Submit? — Magical Crime Scene Investigation
My Story Submission Process
It feels like I haven't written about my current writing process in quite some time, but a recent comment from the wonderful Joy Pixley has me thinking about it again. She is not the first to comment to me that I seem to have had a lot of success in publishing. I posted long ago … Continue reading My Story Submission Process
Are You a Good Writer? — A Litmus Test
Joel Gordonson, author of The Atwelle Confession, offers an interesting discussion on how to tell if you have the potential to be a good fiction writer. He distills his litmus test down to three items. I only fully agree with one of the steps. Of the other two, one I half-agree with and one I don't. Let … Continue reading Are You a Good Writer? — A Litmus Test
The Were-Traveler Open Call: Tribute to Douglas Adams
SHARE: The Key to an Engaging Story is Conflict
Even a novice writer knows the truth of this: fiction is driven by conflict. It simply wouldn't be interesting to read about someone going about their day and having everything go their way. The uneventful is boring. We crave big events, flashy and even crazy events. We don't go to concerts to watch some dude … Continue reading SHARE: The Key to an Engaging Story is Conflict
JM Williams 