Last week, I had a crisis of confidence. I suppose it had to happen, but I also sincerely hope never to have another. But now that I’ve survived it, I’m ready to embrace my understanding of storycraft. I won’t say that I’ve mastered storycraft, because I believe that I – or any other author – […]
When writing my first book, I would hear others say that the second one is harder. I had to toss those words out of my brain because even the first draft of the first book was hard enough. I’ve recently started drafting the second book and I saw that those folks were right. I now […]
They’re lurking. The miniscule clumps, strands, and bits of primeval origin that were essential in the inception and growth of the story, but now hamper its ability to flourish. The story has outgrown them, but still they cling, abetted by the author who is complicit in their continued existence. I don’t know that this is […]
Warrior. That’s what the Cowardly Lion is in comparison with me last week. I’d been hiding from my manuscript since that Monday. More than one hundred pages into a four hundred page rewrite, and I choked – scared off by this one scene. I had outlined it, decomposed it, and placed its elements in my […]
Without a doubt, Kimba – our semi long-haired stray cat, was the most nervous animal I’d ever met. It had nothing to do with hot tin roofs; she just couldn’t adjust to surprises. Her earlier life was a mystery; she adopted us when she was fully grown. But it can’t have been stable. Whenever I cleaned, […]
————–First, a note: ————————- I’ve been honored to be able to share posts from Guest Authors during the past three weeks. I’d like to continue to share voices of published and aspiring writers, poets, and screenwriters that I’m meeting along my journey. Their posts are always available in the GuestAuthors section of my blog, and for […]
It’s finally happening. I’m at the end of preparing for rewrite. I celebrated early, dancing around until I was dizzy(er). After all, this past Mardi was Gras. Inevitably, Mercredi des Cendres rolled in; bringing clarity and sobriety. I was forced to remember that though I was at an end, it merely heralded the real beginning. To […]
I’m very excited. I’ve figured out how to make the sometimes revered, sometimes scorned, always discussed writer’s tool work for me. You know the one – the outline. I’d only begun using it because my editor advised that it was the next step for revising the story he’d critiqued. Now I’m outlining because it is […]
With so little free time, what could I write for a blog post this week? Flash fiction? Short story? As much as I love writing and sharing them, there’s no time. I am revising an earlier work. Finish a draft post? There’s one about where my stories fit in the romantic suspense genre. It’s so […]
Perfecting the craft. Before I wrote Sunrise on the Pier, I didn’t understand what that meant. Now I get that becoming a writer is like starting off on a journey that has no direction and no end. The journey will go wherever and as far as each writer is willing to take it. Scary! …but […]
