Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
We’ve all heard it. Murder your darlings. But what does it mean? Is it just another tip in the ever-growing list of misunderstood writing advice? Or is it the cornerstone of every successful writing project? First the history lesson. It appears this advice originated from Arthur Quiller-Couch. He made this comment in 1914 and all …
Continue reading “Is Killing Your Darlings Murdering Your Book?”
Last month, I gave you some homework to be prepared for writing your mystery. If you haven’t yet completed it, there’s still time. To write the mystery that fits your needs, you need to answer these questions. Now on to today’s category: the traditional mystery. Traditional mysteries are reminiscent of mysteries written during the Golden …
Continue reading “The Mystery of Mysteries: 12 Steps to Writing Traditional Mysteries”
The thing about writing a novel or film is that it all comes down to the ending. A great ending is what makes a story memorable. All of the books on my bookshelf have unforgettable endings. The books that don’t make the cut may have had fascinating premises, entertaining characters, and intriguing plot twists, but …
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So, this came screaming across my screen the other day and it made me laugh. Before I started this journey, it’s what I thought writers did. For those of you who don’t know it: No. No, it’s not. I wish, but no. If I could drink coffee all day (OK, I do) and dream stuff …
Continue reading “The Private Life of a Writer”
As summer ends and thoughts of autumn come to mind I take a page from Heather’s blog. Having worked in the education field for thirty-three years and been a student for nearly my entire life before that, I always think of September as a time of beginnings. I’ve just finished a new novel and know …
Continue reading “Writing the Perfect Query, Again”
About a year ago I started to notice how all the Kindle books started to look alike. At first I thought it was just the nature of genre fiction. After all, one pair of lovers looks pretty much like every other pair of lovers. However, once I started paying attention, and did some digging, I …
Continue reading “Book Cover Art: Did You Get What You Paid For?”
Around the Write on Sisters water cooler we’ve been having conversations about marketing and book promotions. For some of us, it is our current reality for others of us, marketing and promotion are future issues. But for all of us, we are still learning and trying to figure out what to do when and how. …
Continue reading “10 Steps to Launch Your Book Virtually”
It’s September 1st! Last week I blogged about how I was getting ready for a new year. To continue that theme, this week I’m brushing up on writing craft skills I acquired last year. Because everyone knows the first week of school is all about re-remembering what you forgot over the summer… (Click on titles to …
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August will always be back-to-school time inside my head, I know Heather feels the same way. It’s the start of a new season, Fall, my favorite time of the year. I love how the chill at night is just starting to yip at summer’s heels. By the end of August I’m ready for a change, …
Continue reading “What We’re Reading: August is YA Nonfiction”
We all make mistakes; it’s the downside of being human. I’ve made more than my share by moving too quickly, not proofreading, not thinking and, yes, just being stupid. I’ve been embarrassed, I’ve embarrassed others, and I’ve learned. And every particular mistake has only been made once. And, thankfully, none of those have made it …
Continue reading “Blunders and Boo-Boos”