National Novel Writing Month isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Here are a few things I both learned and re-learned during this year’s challenge.
Category: Research
If You Give a Writer a Word
I have a Faulkner quote hanging in the top right corner of my vision as I sit at my desk, and it’s come to be something I live my life by.
From Prologue to Fin
Each book follows its own journey and that’s okay. As long as I still arrive at the final product, I’m pleased. That being said, there are still a few rituals I follow for all of my stories, no matter the genre, length or series.
Character Interviews – More Than Just Talking To Yourself
There is no right or wrong way to go about an interview, but I’m going to share some of my favorite techniques for better understanding, empathizing and, eventually, sharing my characters with the world at large.
Books Reflecting Life
When I tell people I write romance novels, I get myriad responses. By far, the ones I find most offensive are those people who ask, Do you ever want to write real books? Yeah. I do want to write real books. That’s why I write romance novels.
Write Around the Clock Tonight
Over the years, it’s come to my attention just how many hours a day I spend marketing, promoting, writing blogs, scheduling social, filing expenses, the whole nine. These are things I never even considered before I got started, and now they occupy my days and nights, taking up far more time than they deserve, and cutting into the hours I really should be writing.
Not So Easily Ever After
Just because the writer, reader and general populous know how the book is going to end doesn’t mean it’s not a book worth reading – or writing. In fact, I have discovered that writing the books with a required ending is more challenging than writing ones without.
