I know, it’s just a first draft. Just get it out! Just go crazy! Just brain dump! Who cares how many times you just wrote “just?” Or that you used too many exclamation points? Don’t worry about commas or split infinitives or run-on sentences or bad grammar. In some cases, you may not even beContinue reading “It’s Just a First Draft, Right?”
Tag Archives: Novel
Establishing a Daily Routine to Help My Writing
It’s time that I start working on a writing routine, because yesterday morning I spent about 90 minutes looking at YouTube videos from the Graham Norton Show. By the end of it, I had tears streaming down my face and an ab workout from laughing so much. Then, writer’s guilt slapped me in the face.Continue reading “Establishing a Daily Routine to Help My Writing”
Yikes, I Just Signed Up for NANO
I just signed up for NANO. What have I done? *faints* Many writers know why those seemingly harmless initials can cue thoughts of fainting, cold sweats, and uncontrollable facial twitching—and that’s the reaction for those of us who haven’t even participated in NANO before. If the term NANO is new to you, it’s a tenderContinue reading “Yikes, I Just Signed Up for NANO”
How Do I Update My LinkedIn Profile to Show that I’m Working on a Novel Full-Time?
The last day at my 8-to-5 job was Friday, so yesterday I decided to update my resume on LinkedIn. (Can you tell I’m excited for this new phase in my life?) I clicked on the “Add new position” link, which took me to a drop-down menu. I froze at that point, because I wasn’t sureContinue reading “How Do I Update My LinkedIn Profile to Show that I’m Working on a Novel Full-Time?”
I Took Time off of Work to Write My Book
I turned in my resignation to pursue a dream. My dream is—and has been for years—to be able to make a living by writing books, to sustain myself, financially from it. I never thought that it would be necessary to quit my job. I thought I could cobble enough writing time while working my 8-to-5,Continue reading “I Took Time off of Work to Write My Book”
12 Things to Know About Diana Gabaldon
No one can combine science, suspense, sass and romance like Diana Gabaldon does in her bestselling novels. When I saw her at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC, she repeated a rhyme that she recited as a professor, one she used to get the attention of the sleepy football players taking her science class.Continue reading “12 Things to Know About Diana Gabaldon”
Why Aspiring Authors Are Really MathWriterMaticians
Aspiring Author + Word Count Fixation = MathWriterMetician. I’m coining this term, because we writers are obsessed with numbers and math, whether we want to believe it or not. I find myself crunching numbers almost daily. That’s how I track my WIP. I can’t help myself. One number buzzes around me at all times likeContinue reading “Why Aspiring Authors Are Really MathWriterMaticians”
What Has Possessed Me to Write My Novel in Longhand?
What the heck possessed me to stop typing my novel and to start writing it longhand, instead? Especially since I have short hands with small fingers. A couple of years ago, I had dinner with bestselling author Michelle Gable. (Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Actually, she was a keynote speaker at an eventContinue reading “What Has Possessed Me to Write My Novel in Longhand?”
Who Are Your Author Peers?
I first learned about this concept–“author peers” or “peer authors”–about two years ago. It’s been a game-changer for me, and certainly an ongoing educational process. But this whole writing thing kinda is anyway, isn’t it? First, let me explain what I mean by author peers. If you were published, author peers would be writers whoseContinue reading “Who Are Your Author Peers?”
Writing Tips from Reading Gail Carriger’s Soulless
Years ago, I didn’t read as much as I should have, much to my mother’s chagrin. Of course, that changed over the years. Reading became one of my absolute fave activities. Not only is it a wonderful experience, it provides inspiration and a great teaching tool for me as an aspiring author. A friend recentlyContinue reading “Writing Tips from Reading Gail Carriger’s Soulless”
Rene Penn 