Writing

  • Rotary Club

    Yesterday, I gave a talk to a Rotary Club meeting in New Hampshire from here in England via Zoom, organised by Annalisa, my writing coach. I told them about being a writer and author, winning prizes, and read them one of the stories from Paranormal City: Bogeyman Blues. They all seemed to enjoy it.…

  • Riding to the Rescue!

    So … Whether it’s the group of riders sweeping around the corner and charging into battle to save the day, or a powerful figure entering a boardroom to save the main character from corporate malfeasance, I think most people love a good last-minute intervention by the cavalry riding to the rescue. It’s a staple…

  • The Craft of #Writing: #Pantsing versus #Outlining

    The Craft of #Writing: #Pantsing versus #Outlining

    The following is from my post on Quora responding to this question: Do writers and authors write out an outline of their novel first? How detailed is the outline? Whether to outline or “pants” (meaning to write by the seat of their pants) is individual to each writer. Some people, (like me,) “pre-write” their…

  • The Craft of #Writing: #Pantsing versus #Outlining

    The Craft of #Writing: #Pantsing versus #Outlining

    The following is from my post on Quora responding to this question: Do writers and authors write out an outline of their novel first? How detailed is the outline? Whether to outline or “pants” (meaning to write by the seat of their pants) is individual to each writer. Some people, (like me,) “pre-write” their…

  • Accepted, full member of SFWA!

    Accepted, full member of SFWA!

    I’m now a full member of SFWA! I was expecting the approval to take longer–I didn’t get the forms submitted until Jan 1 and got the acceptance late Jan 4.When I started trying to get short stories accepted, all the writers I interacted with marked thei…

  • Accepted, full member of SFWA!

    Accepted, full member of SFWA!

    I’m now a full member of SFWA! I was expecting the approval to take longer–I didn’t get the forms submitted until Jan 1 and got the acceptance late Jan 4.When I started trying to get short stories accepted, all the writers I interacted with marked thei…

  • Ask A #Writer: Is It Worth It To Be One?

    Ask A #Writer: Is It Worth It To Be One?

    Ask a Writer Asked and answered on Quora. The Original Question: Is it worth to be an author? It’s the best thing ever, but not for the reasons you think. 1) Your time is your own. You can wake up when you want to, sleep when it suits you, and you don’t let a…

  • #NaNoWriMo: Day 2—How to De-Angst Novel #Writing

    #NaNoWriMo: Day 2—How to De-Angst Novel #Writing

    Even if you despise outlining, give it a shot. A few hours of outlining with save days of beating your head on your laptop. Trust the woman that writes novels for a living on a deadline. An outline will give you a clearer idea of where your characters are heading and make it easier…

  • The Craft of #Writing: The Workbook Productivity Hack

    The Craft of #Writing: The Workbook Productivity Hack

    One of my writing friends on FWO asked me to write about I how I organize my work so that I’m productive in my ghostwriting business. Everyone has their own writing process. What works for me may not work for you. But I’m glad to share my tools to push, force to help me…

  • The craft of #writing: ratcheting chapter tension

    The craft of #writing: ratcheting chapter tension

    Like a pinball, your story bounces around in your head, hitting your occipital lobe, hippocampus, and the front of your brain, lighting them all up with the act of creation. If you are a master writer, you light up the caudate nucleus, which handles skills gained over time. Creating a story uses tons of…