How to Tell if Your Writing is Good

Writers agonize over this (and we should) but it’s difficult to know when to stop. How do you know if your writing is good enough? Is there a litmus test you can give your novel? Kind of, though it’s not one-size-fits-all, so I’m going to supply you with a template to make a test of …
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3 Tips for Research Management

As Heather pointed out in her last post, the second half of 2017 got a bit overwhelming for us. Heather took on a huge workload, five jobs to be exact. And I balance a lot of stuff even in a normal year: work, community volunteering, political activism, one husband, two kids, three cats (one with …
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Throwing Open the Vault: Tips for Writing a Heist

Most writers don’t naturally possess the best skills for a life of crime. We can’t crack a safe. We don’t have a clue how to forge documents. And we wouldn’t feel comfortable holding a gun, let alone pointing it at another human. That’s why research is often our best friend. The moment I decided to …
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Guest Post: Four Magic Words by Fiona Quinn

The Write on Sisters are thrilled to have Fiona Quinn with us today! Her “Thrill Writing” blog is one several of us follow. The wealth of information she provides writers of crime fiction and mysteries often includes information other genres can use as well. The fact that she is gracious and warm to her readers is just …
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Friday Inspiration: Historical Ephemera

One of the sources I love to tap into when I’m writing historical fiction is ephemera. Ephemera are paper objects meant to serve a short-term function and be disposed of at the end of their useful lifespan. Some of the many items that fall into this category are product labels, railroad tickets, dressmakers patterns and …
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