John Green, author of beloved YA novels such as The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, once described writing as “a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” While amusing, the quote points to an overwhelming belief that writing is somethingContinue reading “The importance of community for writers”
Tag Archives: creative writing
Fiction Friday: “Spice & Sparrow” snippet
This summer I participated in a program called “Young Writer Lessons,” where I met weekly with a writing mentor to work on creating a story. The idea I chose to focus on was one from my senior year of college when I had to get an MRI. Nothing ended up being wrong, but for severalContinue reading “Fiction Friday: “Spice & Sparrow” snippet”
Fiction Friday: “Backstays of the Sun”
At the end of June I submitted a story to the inaugural Story Embers Short Story Contest. I recently found out that my story, “Backstays of the Sun,” was chosen as the first place winner! It was published on their website, and for this Fiction Friday I wanted to make sure all of my blogContinue reading “Fiction Friday: “Backstays of the Sun””
The best way to improve your writing
I’ve wanted to be a published author for a long time, so naturally whenever I got the chance to go see an author speak, I jumped at it. I always had one question for them: what can I do to be a better writer? And no matter how many books they had published, how old theyContinue reading “The best way to improve your writing”
How to start writing your book
So, you’ve decided you want to write a book. You’ve figured out your idea, got a good handle on the characters and plot, and you’re ready to begin! But…how exactly do you do that? One of the hardest parts of writing a book is staring at that blank page, watching the cursor blink impatiently, andContinue reading “How to start writing your book”
Fiction Friday: “Strange and Unusual Death Circumstances Support Group”
For today’s Fiction Friday post, I selected a writing prompt from the book The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley. It’s one of my favorite book of prompts, and a great source for any writer to have on their bookshelf. I ended up choosing prompt 99, “Rashomon”: Write about a group of several people, at least four,Continue reading “Fiction Friday: “Strange and Unusual Death Circumstances Support Group””
Should I be political in my writing?
In today’s climate, it seems like everything is infused with politics and strong views. It’s hard to have a conversation without some crazy news story coming up. So, when you’re writing fiction, should you follow this trend? Especially if you’re claiming to write modern or contemporary fiction, it can seem hard to leave out anyContinue reading “Should I be political in my writing?”
Fiction Friday: Chaos Theory snippet
Every other Friday, I’ll post a snippet of my own writing for what I’m calling “Fiction Fridays.” Here’s the first installment, featuring a section from the beginning of my current work-in-progress, a contemporary fiction novel titled Chaos Theory. The scene describes the initial meeting between the main character, Meredith, and an important secondary character, Jeremiah.Continue reading “Fiction Friday: Chaos Theory snippet”
How to preserve creative energy by removing decision fatigue
Do you ever spend all day running around, whether it’s working, going to school, or just doing errands, then come home in the evening and feel like you’re incapable of writing? You have the time, maybe you’re even sitting at the computer, but the words just won’t come. If this happens over and over, itContinue reading “How to preserve creative energy by removing decision fatigue”
7 computer wallpapers to inspire your writing
The computer is both a blessing and a curse for any writer. It makes writing faster and research easier, but it also opens the temptation to wander down internet rabbit holes and waste hours away on social media. To help keep you focused and remind you that you should be writing, here are seven backgrounds forContinue reading “7 computer wallpapers to inspire your writing”