Writing

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Keeping the Fire Alive – A Discussion on Divinity, Gods and Goddesses

    Saints, profits, gods, goddesses and masters of all kinds are part of the creation just as we are. They simply are operating with a much broader library of knowledge and ability than those of us journeying through the experience of humanity. Sacred fire is a common theme in the cultures of our world, both past and present, just like gods and goddesses often bridge different faiths and the cycles of time. Flame speaks of spirit, of inspiration, of light and magic, warmth and life. Today is a good day to write about gods and goddesses (although I’m all for contemplating divinity every day). This blog post was inspired on the first day…

  • Getting Distance from Your Manuscript

    You know it’s vital to gain perspective on your writing, but it’s hard to do when you’re the one who has slaved over the story, loved and hated it in turns, and revised it more times than you ever thought possible. How can you be objective? What I’m finding, as I edit the first two books of my trilogy—yet again—is that the more I’ve read the story, the more objective I can be with it. But that wasn’t the case a short while ago. I seemed to have reached a tipping point. Having an editor helps. A lot. Or at least someone with a writing background (not your friends or…

  • Growing as a Writer, or, Why I Love Queries.

    Queries, loglines, and synopsis seem to be the bane of writers seeking to publish their book. It is, admittedly, a challenge to sum up an entire novel in a few paragraphs, or just one sentence. I, however, seem to thrive on the query writing process. Composing my logline made me giddy with joy. My query letter keeps evolving as I send it off to different agents, learning more succinct ways to sell my novel in 200 words or less, and I love it! Here’s why: I can feel myself growing as a writer. Each time I’ve revised my query, I’ve felt a thrill of excitement because I’m so pleased with myself…