Tag Archives: writing
Fear – The Dark Side of Hope
Fear Fear motivates us. Fear moves us. Fear is the thing that reaches up and grabs you by the throat and shakes the marbles loose in your grey matter, forcing you to do something, or run away. And, a little fear, is a good thing. I’m afraid of being eaten by sharks. So, my fear […]
Tools For Easily Distracted Writers – Scrivener
I tried an experiment over the last couple of weeks. I’ve finished rewrites and revisions of the black market organ transplant novel, and no, that’s not the kind of experiment I’m talking about. I used Scrivener writing software to manage my edits and revisions. If you write, you’ve probably come across the writing platform […]
Resolution – Smesholution
Less than a week into the new year and I’m already lagging on the resolutions that were supposed to make me a lean, mean writing machine. Not lean, not mean (maybe a bit pissy) and the writing machinery is missing a few cogs and gears. But I have excuses, honest I do. My writing room […]
Newspaper Marketing for Your Novel
Getting new eyes on your work is what it’s about. No…not in a creepy way. It doesn’t matter if you choose to self publish, or go the traditional route through a publisher – getting attention about a book means looking at every possible marketing avenue. Much of that will fall on the author. In October, […]
Conspiracy Theory
Pssst… Come here… There is a conspiracy out there, I tell ya. A cabal of ruthless, black-minded villains put in overtime this week to keep me from writing. They’re cagey, these evil-doers. At every turn, they construct a barrier, obstacle, or canyon, so deep and wide that I have no choice, but to retreat and […]
You Are What You Read
When did choosing a literary genre become so difficult? In the “olden days” of books, there were vast collections of works contained within a single place. The Library. In this mystical building, there existed a structure, a set of expectations to guide those who sought out new tales and adventures. All books were created along […]
The Stuff That Binds
You need something to bind your story together. No I’m not talking about adding more fiber to your literary diet. What I’m talking about is the thing that makes your story stand out in a field of similar work. There are a finite number of story lines and when you filter down to stories within […]
What Writing Your Novel and Dog Training Have in Common
When I’m not writing, a good chunk of time is spent training our dogs, two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. They are (most of the time) good little pups, who compete in American Kennel Club sanctioned Obedience and Rally trials. Writing and dog training are more connected than I first thought and there are five principles that […]
To Print or Not to Print – No Question
Converting an e-book to a conventional printed version is a no-brainer. Well, that’s what I thought when I decided to take Little River from the e-book only world to print. With an old-fashioned book in your hand, I find that you can reach more readers and potential readers than with the electronic version alone. I’ve […]
Traveling (and Writing) with Your Dogs
A getaway to finish a revision on a manuscript seemed like a good idea. Revision and edits on a manuscript are moving along well, but slower than I hoped. Constant interruptions from phone calls, doorbells, and the siren’s call of unattended yard work, lure me away from the pages. A couple of days on the […]
