The writing life is one of the most sedentary you can take up.
Research has shown that when we sit important biological processes take a nap. An enzyme that vacuums dangerous fat out of the bloodstream only …
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There has been much wringing of hands recently about the demise of publishing as e-books continue to rise in popularity.
While little has been said about the percentage of the overall market e-book sales actually occupy—a …
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I just got back from a writing retreat in Lake Tahoe with authors Ellen Hopkins, Kristin Elizabeth Clark, and Jim Averbeck. We had a lakefront cabin, lots of wine, and each other’s company, so you …
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Oh, how I love a good gothic romance! How about you?
Juliet is an intriguing character on a voyage of self-discovery, torn between two very Heathcliff and Edgar Linton-ish love interests (one darker, the other high-born) …
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This is the best advice I’ve ever not taken, until now.
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If what you’re writing has no special meaning, unique to you, dump it. Start something that does.
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…but are we making the most of them?
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The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has invited me back to blog in celebration of the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth, so I thought I’d share with you the first time that
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Sometimes a change is as good as a rest, so a few days ago I packed up my plot board, world-building board, most essential research books, computer, bewildered dog… and a few hastily …
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Every now and then I get to do things that make me ecstatically happy – like attending a friend’s book launch and hanging out with some of my favourite people. It was so much fun …
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Sometimes other things have to come before updating blogs. Like thinking before you share too much about the crappy things happening in your life. Like applying yourself to the things that may rescue you from …
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So much of my life in America has been an Alice in Wonderland experience that I just roll with it, even eating turkey twice within a month. Nothing makes you feel luckier than sitting down …
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How does one introduce an irresistible character in strong 1st person voice, in an effective enough manner, to catch the interest of today’s “I’ve seen it all, show me something I haven’t seen,” editors?
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I’m delighted to welcome plot guru Martha Alderson to my blogging home today. Martha has worked with hundreds of writers in sold-out plot workshops, retreats, and plot consultations for more than fifteen …
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Every year it’s the same. In the last week before NaNoWriMo I promise myself I’ll be better prepared this time, then fail to follow through and start November in a state of panic. …
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(Reposted from The Enchanted Inkpot. Go there to view 32 comments!)
Have you ever felt as though you were born in the wrong century? Or yearned for the elegance and manners of …
Read More →I have no idea whether I’m even doing NaNoWriMo this year, though I’ll probably wade in at the last minute because I can’t resist the buzz of writing with so many others …
Read More →Have you ever started a novel or story but lost impetus after the opening act, unsure what should happen next, but sensing that the arc you pre-planned doesn’t work for some mysterious reason? Then maybe you need to take another look at what your protagonist does after the incident that gets the story started.
Read More →Maybe you’re one of those divinely inspired Mozartian writers who take dictation from a higher power, but most of the rest of us have to spend some time on preparation in order to write …
Read More →Those of you who connect with me on social networks know I’ve maintained a very active online presence for some years, but I recently had a moment of clarity about …
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