By Brian Kaufman In a previous blog post, I admitted to blocking an editor at the entrance to the men’s room to sell him my first novel. He suffered the pitch, and I left with his business card in my wallet. No surprise that this was not my only embarrassing writer’s conference story. Lest you feel compelledContinue reading “Do What I Say, Not What I Did”
Author Archives: ncwwritingbug
Healthy Habits, Hearty Word Counts
By Katie Lewis You would get a hundred different answers if you asked a hundred authors how often and how much writing we should all be doing daily. From conferences to advice blogs, the recommendations vary widely. Some claim you can only improve your skills by sticking to a daily writing habit, while others sayContinue reading “Healthy Habits, Hearty Word Counts”
Nobody to Blame for Those Torches And Pitchforks, Except You.
Strong emotional responses from readers isn’t a bad thing.
Battle of The Bards: Poetry Is A Challenge
By Shelley Widhalm Writing a poem a day is like marriage—it’s a commitment that takes loyalty, honesty, and authenticity. Saying “I will,” I undertook the Poem a Day Challenge in September 2017 and have written nearly 1,600 poems since. I missed a few days in winter 2020 during surgery recovery and at the end ofContinue reading “Battle of The Bards: Poetry Is A Challenge”
That’s What She Said.
By Katie Lewis Salutations from my sickbed. For the last week, I’ve been laid low by my second bout of Covid-19. Some things have been easier this time, and others have been worse. One aspect of my convalescence is the same, though: lots of Netflix.
Genre Tropes And Expanding Horizons
By Brian Kaufman My wife and I carpooled with a friend on the way to a writer’s conference. The conversation turned to our chosen genres. My friend wrote fantasy, so my wife—an ardent reader—began asking about favorite authors. Fantasy was not a genre she often enjoyed, but she knew a fantastic number of writers in the field.Continue reading “Genre Tropes And Expanding Horizons”
Of Pigs And Plots
Archetypes, plot structures, and story tropes are generally held to be the fundamental guide to storytelling.
Learning Curves And Karma
Learning curves are challenging. It isn’t always easy to tackle new skills. Technology offers benefits and obstacles that can be a boon and a curse.
Baby Steps
You’re never too old to write.
Toccata And Writing in D Minor
Music has been proven to improve thinking during tests. Isn’t it time to test that theory with your writing?