10 grammar mistakes that sneak into fiction
Let’s be honest. You can read your manuscript seventy times and still miss certain grammar mistakes. And if you’re like me, you’ll miss them all!
Tag: Craft
why some stories hit harder than others
Last night I watched Hell or High Water with my husband and son. I liked it, but they loved it – and in our post-movie
6 tips to get unstuck and back to writing
Let’s talk about the roadblock that knocks down even the most seasoned authors… writer’s block. 😱 Sometimes it hits when you’re halfway through a novel.
3 Types of Writer’s Block
I was on my third novel when I hit writer’s block for the first time. It came with a vengeance, striking three times before I
5 Reasons Your Scene Might Be Broken
Let’s talk about scenes. If a scene that you’re writing feels boring, your instinct might be to blame the writing. It’s not vivid enough. Not
The Hook
What is your story’s hook?
There’s a lot of “rules” out there about writing, and while I abide by some of them, others I ignore. Writing is a very personal journey, and great storytelling can use different shapes and delivery methods.
Book Cover Design Do’s and Don’ts
Did you know my first ever book cover did a LOT of things wrong, but was just clickable enough to launch my entire career?
I made so many mistakes with that cover, but it did have one important thing going for it:
Here is a Fun Exercise to Make Your Scene Descriptions Better
Recently I was asked about using description when writing scenes. Description is one of those ingredients that can be difficult (especially in the beginning) for authors to use. Some common questions I get are:
Diving into Deep POV
I’d written over 20 novels before I was introduced to the concept of Deep POV. As it turned out, I had been writing in deep point of view and hadn’t realized it. So what is deep point of view and how should it be executed?
How to Write a Great Plot Twist
A great plot twist will leave a reader stunned, their jaw working open and closed in disbelief as their mind works frantically to connect pieces of a puzzle they weren’t aware of until now.