Bringing Emotion

When I first started writing, I was told that if my character cried on the page, my reader wouldn’t. If I wanted to bring tears to my reader’s eyes, my character’s eyes needed to be dry while they were completely torn up inside. As with every “Rule” of writing, you...

Placing Your Reader Into Your Story

One of the best things about reading a novel—at least in my opinion—is escaping from my world, my life. When I read I want to stop being me sitting in my home and become someone else somewhere else doing exciting things, having fascinating experiences, falling in...

What do you do when you’re stuck?

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pantser or a plotter, everyone gets stuck in their writing now and then. I’m sure you’ve read so many articles on writer’s block filled with so many suggestions (hell, I’ve written one myself). Go for a walk. Plot your story. Look at...

Should you write before you write?

Writing before you write? Why? The obvious answer is to get your thoughts together, but there are other reasons as well. Here are five you might want to consider: Whether you’re a pantser or plotter, we all need to rally our thoughts. We’re human; our...

Getting Out of My Own Head

I’m a Taurus. If you believe in astrology that’s going to explain everything I’m about to write very succinctly. I have a great deal of trouble letting go of things that happen. I go over them again and again in my head. Sometimes it’s a good thing, but more often...