Writing Epiphany – Imposter Syndrome
I had an epiphany while writing the blog post about imposter syndrome. The last section about believing compliments made me think about the first time imposter syndrome showed up in my life. I can’t believe this connection just popped into my head. It was a compliment that made me...
When to Give Feedback
I recently saw a tweet asking if you should give unsolicited feedback to a friend. Clearly, the person wanted to be helpful but also wanted to be considerate. You’ve probably found yourself in a similar situation wanting to balance fixing something and keeping your friendship. As you can imagine,...
Tips for Writing Endings
A part of me has always known that writing endings is one of my weaknesses. However, it wasn’t until reading this Writer’s Digest article that it hit home. In tip two, Audrey Wick tells us not to submit stories with “to be continued” endings. That phrase gave me a...
Q & A: Research and interviewing
The idea of interviewing people is terrifying. That’s why I’m not a journalist. I’ve always wanted to be a fiction writer. But as you know, everyone tells us to pick a backup career. My backup was journalism. I minored in media studies in college and managed through the journalism...
Writing Tip: Getting the words right
Every writer needs to understand the importance of semantics and connotation. In our case, we’re talking about using the exact correct word needed to evoke the emotion or image we want. Imagine you’re reading a story about how the protagonist smashed her car into a tree, but then later...
Don’t let fear and vulnerability keep you from writing
When I come across good writing advice, or general advice that I can apply to writing, I often think about how I would present it to a class. Thinking about how to explain techniques to someone else enhances our own understanding. It also encourages us to use the advice...
Writing Tip: creating fantasy names
As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m writing a YA fantasy novel. My plan was to do all my plotting and planning in May and jump into writing in June. I thought if I had all of it mapped out in my head, once I sat down to...
Feeling overwhelmed? Make a decision.
Does uncertainty have you feeling so overwhelmed that all you want to do is crawl in bed? It does me. Especially, because it’s been rainy here. I’ve been trying to make the best use of my time. I’m making a slipcover. I’ve learned new things from watching marketing and...
Overcome Writing Fear
Have you ever suffered from conflicting emotions about writing? You want to write, but fear it too. Does this sound familiar? I have a desire and need to write, deep down in my gut. Even when I’m not actively writing, I’m constantly studying and thinking about it. My shelves...
Cultivate Writing Bliss
When was the last time you felt excited like the woman in the photo? If you’re like many of the people I see posting about being stuck in a sort of Groundhog Day, it’s probably been a while. You may have even forgotten what this feels like. A moment...