Myths about Writers: They’re Lazy

One of my favorite “business-y” books for writers/designers/creative folks is called Time Management for the Creative Person. This book has dozens of sticky notes that I refer back to from time to time.
If you’re one of those smart people who really doesn’t give a you know what about what others think about you, stop reading.
But [...]

Finding Your Focus

The best place for focus is internal. I’ve been on a journey of writing self discovery this year, and I’d love you to join me a journey to find your writing focus. I started with something simple: Set a goal. Make a commitment. Decide what you are working on and focus on your project.
I thought [...]

A Comprehensive List of Software for Writers

Ever wonder if there’s an easier way to write a novel or screenplay? There could be. While Word is a standard, there are other options including Open Office, Wordpad, yWriter (a favorite of mine) and not to mention, pen and that old thing we like to call paper.
Yes, it’s still possible to write on paper [...]

Get out the leg warmers and find your inspiration

Having a hard time finding inspiration to finish that project? Whenever I’m feeling a little blah, I turn to the music and movies that inspired me as a child and teenager (yes, even Disney movies.)
There’s something all those movies and songs have in common for me. A lowest common denominator if you will.
For me, they [...]

Scene Worksheet to the Rescue

Having trouble with a scene in your latest WIP? Give this worksheet a try: ywp.scriptfrenzy.org/files/scriptfrenzy-ywp/sf_ywp_08_scene_ws_hs.pdf
I found writing out what the scene was all about, who was in it, and even drawing it in the space provided really helped me visualize what was supposed to happen and why. Now I’m ready to write!

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Tension in every scene

Some good advice from Rocky Cole:
You want tension in every scene in your story, whether that tension is overt and visible or subtle and hidden. Tension is achieved by characters wanting different things, having different goals, coming into conflict or having conflict within themselves.
Need more help with your scene? Check out the worksheet I link [...]

Wordcount Tracker

If you’re a writer chances are that at one point or another you’ve struggled to meet your wordcount (or pagecount) goal. And while there are several different methods available to help you track your wordcount, one that I’ve come across several times is Kresley Cole’s Word/Page Count Tracker. Visit her message board, sign up, and [...]

QuickTip: Write what you like to read.

In How to Write a Damn Good Novel, James N Frey says “if you’re an aficionado of one type, that’s what you should be writing. Write the kind of book you like to read.”
Sounds like common sense, but it’s good advice. Advice that many writers forget as they jump from one hot trend to another [...]

Slow but steady…

Sometimes I forget why we writers call our current manuscript a WIP. For those who don’t know, WIP stands for Work In Progress.
How is that forgettable? Some days writing doesn’t seem like work at all. Those are great days.
But other days, like today, I fight for each word.
It’s easy to be hard on yourself [...]

Progress & Challenges

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”
~Mark Victor Hansen

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