Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
One of the benefits of being a freelance writer is making my own schedule, and having the flexibility to change that schedule if I want to. For instance, I am not a morning person, and in fact joked that I’m part vampire in this post here because I write best after sunset and terribly at sunrise. Luckily, …
Continue reading “5 Excuses to Protect Your Writing Time”
Since I’ve begun listening to audiobooks, I’ve noticed that not all books convert well to the audible format. So I started this little series: Audiobook Pitfalls. The sale of audiobooks is on the rise, and most new releases (not just bestsellers) are now made into audiobooks as well as e-books and print books, so it’s …
Continue reading “Audiobook Pitfall: Scene Breaks”
This week while flushing out my novel’s outline, I decided to track where I raised and answered questions in the story. Why? Because questions are crucial to a good story; they ensure it has enough intrigue and suspense to keep readers reading. Have you ever set down a book and not been compelled to pick …
Continue reading “5 Reasons to Track Questions & Answers in Your Novel”
I began listening to audiobooks a few months ago. Though if I’m honest, it all started with the SERIAL podcast. Unable to resist the hype, I jumped on that bandwagon and was not disappointed – great storytelling! After it was over, I was in the habit of listening to something while I did dishes every …
Continue reading “Audiobook Pitfall: Lack of Dialogue Tags + 1st Person POV”
If we were having coffee, I’d lament that it is already August. How is that possible? Didn’t the summer just start? I seriously do not understand how time passes so fast. My mom used to say that time passes faster the older you get, but I didn’t really believe her until I hit my 30s. …
Continue reading “Weekend Coffee Share – Bike Raving”
I have worked as a television screenwriter for most of my adult life, and currently I’m working as a video game writer. Some of WOS’s readers have asked me how to get work as a writer, and I was reluctant to write a post about that because it’s such an individual question. My story is specific …
Continue reading “How To Get Work as a Writer”
Robin told me that in about two weeks stores will shift from back-to-school specials to Halloween masks and décor, which I think is kind of wacky considering summer just started up here in Toronto. But fall is coming and some writers are shifting into Halloween mode too, especially if they are hoping to release a novella or short …
Continue reading “Horror Writing Round-Up”
When I read a book or watch a movie, I always try to figure out what is going to happen. For me, the most enjoyable stories keep me guessing right up to the end. The least enjoyable stories are the ones where I can predict the ending long before the finale. Now, you’re probably expecting …
Continue reading “How To Write Unpredictable Stories”
The most common advice I’ve heard for writing three-dimensional characters is to delve into their backstory, develop their personality profiles, and get to know them as if they are alive and kicking right beside you. Common wisdom seems to support that if the author knows their characters inside and out, then said characters will be …
Continue reading “The Key to Writing 3-Dimensional Characters”
If we were having coffee, we’d be watching the Pan Am Games in my hometown of Toronto. I really want to go see Trampoline, but those tickets have been sold out for a long time. Perhaps we can scalp some? If not, we’ll watch it live on the iPad via the CBC app. In between …
Continue reading “Weekend Coffee Share at the PanAm Games”