I felt very burnt out at the beginning of Novel November so I quickly gave myself permission not to aim to write 50,000 words. Instead, I have other creative commitments that should be taking my precious energy. And that's okay! If you, like me, have limited energy right now or other projects in progress this… Continue reading Novel November Done Differently: How to Take Part in Your Own Way
Tag: Writing Tips
The cursor and I
Blinking cursor, waiting impatiently. Write something. Anything. Come on! Straight black line, standing sentinel, an old friend. We’ve danced this tango so many times before. You know me and I know you. You know it takes me a minute, but I always get there. Have I ever let you down? Let myself down? Sure. Nearly… Continue reading The cursor and I
A life in books
I love watching the bookmark slowly progress deeper into the book. Turning page after page feels like I’m doing something right. Something that was meant for me. It’s a similar feeling when I’m writing. I love watching the word count climb higher and higher. The satisfaction of hitting milestone numbers: 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000… It… Continue reading A life in books
Discovering myself as a writer this summer
I think what I've loved about writing this summer is that it has been a real exploration of my voice as a writer. I've had to suppress the urge to fixate on 'what is this novel about?' because that, perhaps, doesn't serve me in the beginning stages of an idea. If an idea is old… Continue reading Discovering myself as a writer this summer
Impact of Creative Work
Why do funny things rarely win Oscar’s? Family friendly films, too, are discounted and dismissed. It’s all about something serious, more often than not. But the films I watch again and again are the funny ones, the family friendly ones, the animations. The ones that remind me that life isn’t so bad. Things that add… Continue reading Impact of Creative Work
Different Ways to Tell Your Story
I have been thinking a lot about the writing process, but I haven’t ever made a list or truly thought about different ways to tell the story itself. This is the style, the voice, the angle, the narration of the story. I’m thinking about this in the hope of making the story more unique and… Continue reading Different Ways to Tell Your Story
The Power of the Old School Writing Process
I’ve decided to try a write in a notebook this summer and it made me think, have some of us started to over-complicate the writing process? When we think about the greats - King, Bradbury, Gaiman and the like - they wrote on typewriters and notebooks. They didn’t have fast internet to rely on, or… Continue reading The Power of the Old School Writing Process
What if you and the story just aren’t connecting?
Speaking with a friend and fellow writer, I’ve finally summed up my issue with my writing at the moment. Connection. Sometimes, a story is great. It works. Or it has narrative promise, strong characters and fits the genre and industry well. But sometimes, you still don’t connect with the story yourself. This is a problem… Continue reading What if you and the story just aren’t connecting?
A shy writer’s guide to talking to other writers!
I wanted to write this post purely for myself! I had an encounter at work where a coworker told me someone had told them that I was a writer. This was nice and I didn’t get embarrassed (for once) but when it came time to actually talk writing and books, I panicked. Luckily, he had… Continue reading A shy writer’s guide to talking to other writers!
How to get out of a creative rut – What to do when you’re between story ideas
Are you struggling to write because your ideas don’t feel good enough? Here’s how to get out of a creative rut.
