Have you ever dedicated an entire afternoon to writing, only to get to the end of the day and realize you only wrote a couple hundred words? But then later when you’re squeezing in an hour of writing between your busy schedule, you can suddenly write a thousand words. What’s up with that? There areContinue reading “What is Parkinson’s Law and how can it help your writing?”
Tag Archives: writing
The importance of community for writers
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”
Interview with author Kathryn Ormsbee
Today I am super excited to share an interview with author Kathryn Ormsbee. Kathryn writes young adult and middle grade fiction (the latter of which are published under K.E. Ormsbee) and got her first agent when she was just twenty years old! She has a total of six books currently published, with two more comingContinue reading “Interview with author Kathryn Ormsbee”
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”
How having a routine can help your creativity (and how it can hurt it)
For any creative work, there is a myth of inspiration that surrounds it. Many people believe that writing, painting, or otherwise creating involves simply waiting for the Muse or Inspiration or something similar to strike you, and all of a sudden you have a perfectly formed piece. Or maybe it’s not that dramatic, but a belief alongContinue reading “How having a routine can help your creativity (and how it can hurt it)”
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”
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?”
Dialogue Tags: what they are and how to use them
We have conversations of all sorts every day, and yet including them in our writing can be challenging. What’s interesting to the reader? What is too boring or too confusing? One of the key parts of writing when characters are talking is dialogue tags, and they can make or break your conversation. So what areContinue reading “Dialogue Tags: what they are and how to use them”