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GONE GIRL Messes With My Mind
I was up till 1 a.m. reading Gone Girl the other night. Then I was up another two hours thinking about it. Note to self: don’t read a psychological thriller before bedtime. My unsettling dreams included someone trying to strangle me with my braids. But, wow. Gone Girl. Yes, this is the first time I’ve read this book. Yes, I’m aware it’s pretty much required reading for writers. Yes, I totally get why. The writer in me is enthralled with the genius in Gillian Flynn’s craft. Writer-me admires how the characters are scary-real, the voice intimate-conversational, the story constantly unfolding with so many secrets it’s hard to keep track. This…
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Finding Humility in a Discussion on Diversity
I had a huge learning experience yesterday in a discussion about diversity, and how people of colour want to be represented/respected in the writing world. And even though I feel dense for not having gotten it before, I’m grateful to now have a better understanding. After speaking out in confusion on Twitter, I was subject to the opinions of marginalized and non-marginalized writers alike. In some ways it was a public lashing, but it was the best thing that could’ve happened. It helped me gain clarity. Though the initial onslaught of comments brought me back to the days of being bullied in school, I kept my ears open and, in the end, thanked them all—especially…
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Whatever You Do, Keep Writing
Some writers are blessed with muses who continuously chuck ideas at us. I’m glad to be that kind of writer. That doesn’t mean it’s easy—the more I learn, the harder I have to work at it. And, sure, I struggle sometimes, but that usually means I need to go read someone else’s writing for a while. Right now, I’m working on a series that flows from one trilogy into another. The first trilogy is something I’ve revised so many times I had to step away from it for a year. Wow, am I glad I did! There’s nothing like revisiting an old project to see how far you’ve improved your craft as a…
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Freelance Editors & Food for Thought
Editors are Part of an Author’s Education The freelance editors I’ve worked with have been an invaluable part of my education as a writer. I like some people’s approach better than others, but that’s a personal preference. Every time I’ve paid an editor to critique my writing, be it query, pages, or a full manuscript, I’ve invested in myself. The evolution of a writer’s craft is an ongoing discovery. Sometimes it hurts. Rejections from agents can be downright depressing, and receiving feedback is often akin to having one’s soul crushed. Which leads me to my next point: When it Comes to Feedback, Keep an Open Mind An editor’s job is not…
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The Satisfying Torture of Query Writing
I remember my first attempt at a query. *snicker* We won’t talk about that. In the last month, I’ve had four different people help me with my current query. Four. Professionals. None of whom I’ve worked with before. Because, no matter how hard I tried, I still wasn’t satisfied with the thing. Maybe it’s because I’ve learned from each editor along the way, or maybe she just speaks my language, but the final person I’m working with has helped me see possibilities I haven’t until now. This has me all excited for a number of reasons: Being able to explain my story clearly and simply is crucial. That’s what a query is…
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NaNoWriMo, Sex Scenes, and Community
There’s nothing quite like writing intensely to get me going. It’s such a thrill, so satisfying, so intoxicating. Yes, the word “sex” is in the title of this post, but I don’t mean like that (except when I do); I’m referring to a more holistic satisfaction. Intellectual intercourse, if you will. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, in case you’ve no idea what I’m talking about) is an annual event encouraging writers to commit to pounding out 50,000 words in one month. Or more, if you’re ambitious. (Yeah, that’s me. 80,000 is my goal.) I hadn’t meant to do it this year, but last minute I said, “F*ck it, I’m in.” On par…
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Be Kind, Be Gentle, Find Love Amidst the Chaos
Inspired by the book THE BODIES OF MOTHERS by Jane Beall, I’m sharing this image of myself and the raw truth of my experience. The purpose of this post is partially to remind myself of my own innate beauty, and partially because I feel compelled to remind other women of theirs. The following thoughts were sparked by a mother who, through her own bitterness, helped me realize that I want to stop feeding the bitter voice in my head. To the woman behind the till at the grocery store today, the one who told me she has two sets of twins, you could have said something else. You didn’t have to say, “They’re easy at this age, wait…
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Writing a Contemporary Romance in 30 Days
It’s funny, how things work out. I entered my last manuscript in #PitchWars, and then got hit with an insanely inspired idea before they even announced the winners. It’s a good thing I didn’t get in, because I would have had to switch from writing to editing, and it’s possible it would have broken something in my head to slow down this story. My latest manuscript, WILD HORSE HEART, is set for publication in May of 2017. It was a new adventure for me as a writer; one I couldn’t be more thrilled about. The premise came to me in a dream. Miraculously, I woke up and got it down before it vanished to…
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Riding the Wild Horse of Creativity
There’s something beautiful about getting to your knees in the middle of a road and scrawling in a notebook as fast as your hand can write. Okay, so it was a dirt road, and there wasn’t any traffic, but still. I continue to be blown away by the intensity of my creative process. The more I indulge my imagination, the more ideas flood in, just like this quote by Maya Angelou: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maybe you know what I’m talking about. All of us have something within us that longs to be expressed, in whatever form makes sense to you, be it…
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Read a Book and Slow Down
Throughout this blog post, you’ll find inspiring quotes about books, living your dreams, and never giving up. Because I think we all need those reminders, from time to time. Life is often overwhelmingly busy. But, even though time can still fly when immersed in a good book, one thing I love about reading is the way it invites us to slow down and stop worrying. Think about it: you might feel rushed, or like you have to work as fast and as hard as you can for much of the day. On top of that, there may be something out of your control that you’re working towards, but that requires patience. I’ve never…
