When you set out to write a novel, you quickly learn that it takes a lot of drafts. There’s the first draft, which is laying down the story. The second works out what the story is missing, and every draft after is refining until it becomes the finished book. How many drafts that takes depends …
Continue reading Motivational Tricks To Keep You Working On Your Manuscript
I usually like my first blog for a new year to be all about resolutions, but after the year that was 2020, and with 2021 shaping up to be more of the same, making resolutions or plans is a moot point (or a cow's opinion—a reference for anyone who spent a good chunk of lockdown …
If the thought of rising early to write has you automatically hitting the snooze button, you’re not alone. I once balked at getting up before the sun to pursue my literary dreams. I’d much rather stay warm, wrapped up in blankets than trudge to my writing desk, and work on something bleary-eyed. But then things …
If you've been following me on social media, you would have noticed that I've been uploading videos on Tuesdays as part of a #TeaserTuesday hashtag to promote my books. These 30-second videos include a snippet from my latest release and are animated with the magick that features in my YA Urban Fantasy series, Blackbirch. Creating …
It can take years to shape a WIP into its book form, which is why it feels so weird to type "The End" and know for sure it is the end. While this is seen as a job well done and the signal that it's time to move onto the next project, for some writers, …
This week I received the author copy of my next book, Blackbirch: The Dark Half. As this is only the second book I've had published, it was still a thrill, although I can't imagine any writer getting bored with a box of their own books arriving on their doorstep. After all, it's years of hard …
Continue reading 4 Fun Things To Do With The Author Copy Of Your Book
Once upon a time, the only thing a writer needed to take care of was the writing itself. In modern times, with the rise of social media and self-publishing, a writer needs to do more. I and the other talented wordsmiths in my #6amAusWriters Twitter group refer to this as "authoring." Sometimes when we check in …
Concentration is hard to come by at the best of times, but as we're currently experiencing the worst of times, it's downright rare. Time to write is just as scarce some days, with new Coronavirus world responsibilities taking priority. When you do get the chance to write, you might find that diving straight into work …
Happy New Year, everyone! It's time to get out of that magical land between Christmas and New Year when you're full of chocolate and cheese and don't know what day it is. 2020 brings the chance to start afresh, kick off some resolutions, and get back into the writing game. If, like me, you took …
Continue reading Getting Back On The Writing Track After The Holidays
