Writing Advice From A YA Author Powered By Chocolate And Green Tea
They say if it's boring to write, it's boring to read. This little nugget of writing advice is one of the true ones. But when you're writing a scene that just isn't working and you need it to move the story along, that boring write is hard to turn into a non-boring read. Do you …
Continue reading 5 Writing Ideas To Transform A Boring Scene
The decision to start a blog is big. The decision to post to a blog regularly for the unforeseen future is even bigger. It requires time, sacrifice and takes you away from other tasks—especially when you're a writer. While you can argue blogging is writing and any practice makes you better—writing blogs instead of your WIP …
If you've been following my blog for the last few months, you'll know I've been spending this year working on rewrites. I'm currently rewriting the second book in my YA series, Blackbirch. I wrote the first draft of book two in 2003, the fifth draft in 2018, and that's the one I'm rewriting now in 2019. …
There are a few writer-world problems you can have. The muse taking an extended break. Losing a month's worth of progress to backup failure. Realizing the "unique" book idea you've been working on for five years was just published by someone else. Then there's writer-problems you can fix. Learning how to show and not tell, …
If you ask most writers which publisher they'd like a contract with, they'll probably tell you one of the big five. They'll do the best job, right? Yes… and no. A few weeks ago, I attended the KidLitVic conference where a panel with Jane Pearson (Text Publishing), Suzanne O'Sullivan (Hachette Australia and Lothian Children's Books), …
Continue reading The One Thing That Matters When Looking For A Publisher
If you've been following my blog for the last few weeks, you'll know I attended the KidLitVic writers conference. There, I gleaned many a tip on the publishing industry, including the following about snagging an agent. Alex Adsett from Alex Adsett Publishing Services and Jacinta Di Mase from Jacinta Di Mase Management provided their expertize …
Continue reading Why You Should Have An Agent And How To Get One
If you're wondering what an action beat is, you're not alone. Not too long ago, I didn't know what it was either. I've since learned it's an action your character is doing while they're talking. Yeah, it's not exactly an earth-shattering revelation and is something you've probably been writing naturally anyway, it's just now you know …
When you’ve been writing long enough, you discover what you’re good at. It might be snapping out witty dialogue, awesome plot outlining, or creating characters so beloved even someone with a black soul would shed a tear at their demise. You also discover amongst these writing strengths, what your writing weaknesses are. For me, that nemesis …
Continue reading How To Spot And Eliminate Stage Directing In Your Writing
Creating a character isn’t all physical description and heartbreaking backstory. Well, a lot of it is, but it’s not just that. You need to round out that tall, dark-haired beautiful orphan with some emotional depth. The kind that will keep your readers turning the page and recommending your stories. They’ll do this because they’re invested …
Continue reading Five Ways To Give Your Characters Emotional Depth
