A few of my clients who travel the ‘real’ traditional publishing road have attended writer’s conferences, or are thinking of attending one. Well, Carolyn Howard-Johnson has a great article that helps writers choose the perfect one. Every writer thinking of attending a writing conference should read it. CHOOSING THE PERFECT WRITER’S CONFERENCE Guest Post by…
Category: writing tips
Are You Determined to Be a Writer?
“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you!” ~ Zig Ziglar Cambridge Dictionary defines determination as, “the ability to continue trying to do something, although it’s very difficult. Cambridge Macmillian Dictionary defines it as, “the refusal to let anything prevent…
Journaling is a Writer’s Best Friend
Guest post by Debra Eckerling Whenever someone asks me how to get unstuck – and believe me, I get this question a lot – my immediate response is journaling. Whenever someone asks me how to improve their writing, I tell them to start journaling. Whenever someone asks me how to develop a new idea, I…
Happiness
The image above may not be everyone’s picture of happiness, but it is mine. I recently read a Twitter post that was titled, Things You Can Control. I read through the list of 11 items and noted that a couple really weren’t things that were completely within our control. But the one that struck me…
Overcome Your Writing Distractions
Guest post by Melinda Brasher I recently went to a class conducted by writers Amy K. Nichols and Joe Nassise. They talked about writing in the age of distraction (squirrel writing, they called it). It was very helpful, so I’m going to pass on some of the ideas I found most useful. -Know your triggers….
Writing – Words to Live By
In a world littered with half-truths and lies, these are words to live by in your words and in your writing: Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself, “Is it true?’ At the second gate, ask, “Is it necessary?” At the third gate, ask, “Is it…
How to Write Better Endings to Your Stories
Contributed by team member, Suzanne Lieurance Many writers have trouble coming up with the perfect ending for a story. And the perfect ending is really important because it is often the ending of a story that people remember most. That’s because a good ending ties everything together and leaves the reader feeling satisfied. To write…
Writing Plot Twists Into Your Story
Plot twists are an established tool to writing intriguing stories, whether for books, movies, TV, or other. These helpful tools create a more engaging story for the reader. According to Wikipedia, “A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work…
The Secret of Getting Ahead
Probably everyone has heard one adage or another about the first step. Well, that first step certainly applies to your writing too. Having a desire to write a novel or children story is something, but taking the first step to bringing that desire to fruition is impressive. Having an idea for a story is something….
Creating Story Characters? Avoid These Common Mistakes
Guest Post by Linda Wilson Many characters inhabited the early drafts of my WIP: a MG mystery. Like many of my characters’ counterparts—kids—I assigned each character a “friend,” following the example I’d seen so often of kids going around in “packs.” What fun I had! The snappy dialogue! The endless opportunities to showcase what was…