NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. No, it’s not a month set aside to appreciate the fine art of writing novels, it’s actually supposed to be a month where you sit down and write a novel. An actual novel, in one month. Sounds ridiculous, right? And after all, a serious novelist knows she’ll […] Read more…
“This is so exciting!” she said excitedly!!!
No, I haven’t written that sentence. Not exactly. I would never, ever, EVER use more than one exclamation mark in a row. But apparently I filled my manuscript with over 200 exclamation marks, almost all of them in dialogue, and most of those in the mouth of one rather excited character. I would have sworn […] Read more…
My mentor, Rebecca Gault
I was asked recently to write a blog post for the Land of Enchantment Romance Authors’ blog. I decided to write about the woman who inspired me, and who inspired the name for the LERA writing contest, The Rebecca. You can read the original post on the LERA blog here. When I moved to Albuquerque, […] Read more…
Roald Dahl: Every writer has a secret compartment in his brain
Roald Dahl’s very big imagination comes from a “secret compartment in his brain.” On Friday we visited the Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden. The museum tells the story of the children’s author, from his prank-filled childhood to his career as a pilot during WWII to his beginnings as a writer. His writing hut has […] Read more…
The serendipitous theme
I have a terrible time plotting my books, answering the question “what happens next?” But I have a friend (a very knowledgeable plotter) who’s always told me that all the ingredients for a plot are in my head, and they eventually end up on the page, exactly in the order needed. I’m an organic plotter, […] Read more…
Plot holes and patch kits
The other day I realized, via a random tweet, that my WIP* had a big plot hole. Large enough to drive a lorry through. A lorry, for you Yanks, is what’s known as an 18-wheeler in the US. They’re every bit as big here, and yes, my plot is the size of an interstate, with […] Read more…
Where did I misplace my confidence?
I’m in an odd position. I’ve just sold a book, finally achieved the acclamation for my work I’ve longed for, and yet I feel more self-doubt than ever before. Despite visible success—a signed contract—I’m not convinced I know what I’m doing. I open Word tentatively, bucking up my courage to address my previously written files. […] Read more…
Feed your muse
I once wrote an article about fueling your muse. No, it wasn’t about healthy eating, although I am something of a health nut. No, this was more direct fueling of that spirit responsible (some say) for our creative endeavors. I feed mine M&Ms. Here’s the reasoning: When I eat M&Ms, my critical mind sorts them […] Read more…
Music for writing
Does music set the mood? I find my creativity increases the minute I turn on music. And I’ve learned that specific music works in certain situations, for different manuscripts. For instance, while writing my book set in Pennsylvania’s Amish country, I wrote to the soundtrack of the movie Witness. An obvious choice, perhaps, but there […] Read more…