The awesome strength of nature is amazing to behold. Hey guys. I hope everyone is enjoying the shift in seasons and that nasty weather is on the decline. (We had a corker lightning storm Saturday night. Full on cracking, white light flashing in the wee hours. Lovely. But I'm weird that way.) Meanwhile, I'm back… Continue reading Sit-down with Lana Higginbotham: Get to know the spirit behind the stories
Tag: Novels
Do I sketch out the plot of my novel before starting it or do I allow my characters to lead the way?
NO fooling. There are different ways to approach a story, but each carries its own consequences. Check in with Florence Witkop, author of The Man from Yesterday, for some writerly wisdom that could save YOU some serious time. And, please, follow me if you'd like to continue this journey of learning, laughing, and generally having… Continue reading Do I sketch out the plot of my novel before starting it or do I allow my characters to lead the way?
11 Things to Do With a DNF Writing Project
NaNoWriMo is over and done. 2018 is nearing its last hoorah. The time for setting 2019 goals is almost here. We writer’s NEED them.
But, if you’re panicking about last year’s lovelies, those unfinished darlings more commonly called WIPs, don’t. The dreaded DID NOT FINISH doesn’t need to get you down.
Check in with the always witty, René Penn, author of the Bachelorette Blogger serial for some perspective. Her light side approach to the dreaded DNF is sure to make you chuckle and help you . . .
Write on!
A few months ago, I learned about the term DNF, Did Not Finish, in the context of reading books. It’s when someone loses interests in a book they’re reading and never makes it to the end.
Funny thing is, we writers have this DNF experience with our own writing. Don’t we?
I know I’ve amassed a pile of DNF writing projects over the years. I just added to it again last month, which is probably why this has been on my mind.
From my previous post, Our Stories Are Like Socks, where I discussed the oddball similarities between socks and stories…
“Don’t get stuck on a story that’s the wrong fit, that has holes, and is sagging at key points. Even if you’ve tried to mend it, patch it, or hold it up with story suspenders, there comes a point when you know that there’s no saving it.”
So…
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Tomb Raider—Egyptian style
Think Laura Croft has tagged all the tombs? Think again, and don’t kid yourself. My history freak is absolutely blog worthy. Even for an inspy suspense/romance writer. Hidden bones, exotic lands, and ancient civilizations are the stuff of stories—contemporary and historical. Welcome to the tomb of Wahtye! And this is a doozie. An archeological expedition,… Continue reading Tomb Raider—Egyptian style
Designer Babies or Science Slaves?
Okay, I write inspired romantic suspense, but this latest scary tech has my mind reeling. Reeling with potential horror stories, but not fiction. He jiankui wants to stop AIDS Sputniknewsreports, “He Jiankui, a researcher from Shenzhen, announced in an interview with AP news agency that he had recently helped the first twin girls (Lulu and Nana) with modified DNA… Continue reading Designer Babies or Science Slaves?
The patient’s flat-lining. Conflict—STAT!
NaNoWriMo. Sounds great for some. But the courtship is over. The thrill—disgusting word—is gone. No write-in, no word-sprint can revive the magic. The patient is bleeding out and pulling the plug is the only mercy. The daily pain is too fresh, too real, too stark a reminder of all that we writer’s did…and failed to… Continue reading The patient’s flat-lining. Conflict—STAT!
Hashtags—A Writer’s Best Buddy. No, really.
If you’re new to writing, you may think being an author means focusing on the words. Crafting stories. Tucking away in that haven of letting others do the heavy lifting of marketing your genius. That used to be me. That still is me when I allow myself fantasy time. The words are the most important.… Continue reading Hashtags—A Writer’s Best Buddy. No, really.
Rain, rain go away! What moves you to write?
It’s raining in Northern Virginia—again. This would be welcome news if the summer had been sizzling as summers are supposed to be. I should be cranking about my brown lawn about now. We don’t have a drip system outside of God’s garden hose and yours truly so a brownish lawn is typically where it's at… Continue reading Rain, rain go away! What moves you to write?
RoboFly: Coming to a swarm near you!
Privacy is a luxury. At least in today’s world. I write romance. The inspirational kind, spiked with suspense and bad-nasty killers. Innuendo? Love it! The classic giveaways of a blush and banter keep me turning pages. The character who vows he’s telling the truth while looking down and to the left is most often lying.… Continue reading RoboFly: Coming to a swarm near you!
#DVpit, 10 Things I Noticed
Staying on top of trends is critical whether you’re a writer or reader wanting to know what’s going to show up at your book club.
Just sayin’.
Check out what serialized author of The Bachelorette Blogger René Penn has to say and…
Write on.
“We’re just posting about our awesome manuscripts.”
Yesterday, October 17, was #DVpit on Twitter for adult fiction and nonfiction books.
“What’s that?”
Writers from diverse backgrounds pitched their completed, unpublished manuscript ideas in a tweet. Since it was an organized, publicized effort, agents checked the #DVpit feed on Twitter, looking for manuscripts they may be interested in reading—and hopefully representing.
If an agent likes someone’s tweet-pitch, they click that lovely heart button underneath. A “like” notifies the author that said agent would like a submission of the manuscript.
Since it began in 2016, #DVpit has seen more than 80 authors get signed with agents. And 35 books have won contracts. — #DVpit
I find this whole process fascinating, so I checked on Twitter several times during the day to see how it was going. Here’s what I noticed.
- Comp titles really are helpful
Cluing people into your novel in less than…
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ANN MALLEY 