By Katie Lewis As a young child, I filled notebooks with stories based on my favorite television shows and movies. Digimon, Pokémon, and The Land Before Time. In fourth grade, I wrote a horrifically unscientific murder mystery starring Scully and Mulder of The X-Files for a short story assignment. I was twelve when I began posting my stories online forContinue reading “Shaking The New Year Up”
Category Archives: Advice
Refresh Your Writing
By Brian Kaufman It’s January. Snow, bitter cold, a false spring for seven days somewhere in the middle, crowded gyms, and empty restaurants. (Of course, who knows what the rest of January holds for us with climate change at the helm.) A time for resolutions.
The Year I Wrote for Myself
By Katie Lewis Looking back at 2022, I’m tempted to be disappointed by how much I wrote (or rather how little). Every year brings new challenges, both to life and in writing. This year had different challenges from last year, so comparing the two is only partially fair. While I may not have produced theContinue reading “The Year I Wrote for Myself”
The Evil Twin
By David E. Sharp Whether you are closing in on your NaNoWriMo word count or plugging away at your magnum opus, those rigorous word counts take a lot of think-juice. You have been diligent, laying one word after another, watching the chapters take shape. Your verbs are immaculate. Your adverbs are scarce. You always attendContinue reading “The Evil Twin”
Spur Your Writing
By Shelley Widhalm As a freelance writer and former journalist, I’ve learned to live by deadlines. And as an anti-procrastinator, I’ve made it my habit to turn in assignments before the due date because facing a ticking clock stresses me out. But when it comes to writing novels and not having a publisher demanding aContinue reading “Spur Your Writing”
Ode to The Writer’s Retreat
By Ronda Simmons There once was a writer with Block Who needed to stop and take stock. Her prose was a mess, Her nerves were in stress, She wanted to hide in a rock. She reread her draft with disgust. Her literary dreams dashed to dust.
One of The Least Favorite Most Important Jobs for Writers
By David E. Sharp I have no passion for marketing. Naturally, at a recent writing conference I attended, sessions on marketing were at the top of my list. I learned about marketing through algorithms, marketing via the website, marketing at live events, and marketing through subliminal messaging.
Without Pacing What’s The Point
By Shelley Widhalm I’m reading a book with two intriguing main characters and compelling relationships gone wrong. Still, the repetitive dialog and plot points make it boring. The issue is with the pacing, intermittent external and internal tension, and lack of cliffhangers at the end of chapters. I’m determined to finish the book, though, sinceContinue reading “Without Pacing What’s The Point”
Thoughts on Criticism
By Brian Kaufman Writers compose in a vacuum. The voices they hear are in their heads. Imagination has benefits, both for mental health and creative purposes. According to neuroscientists, people have “default networks” in their brains that become active (and are exercised) when they drift into the realm of imagination. In addition, storytelling allows anContinue reading “Thoughts on Criticism”
Subverting Tropes
By Katie Lewis I’ve always been very interested in Japanese mythology and media. But recently, I’ve been more inspired by other East Asian cultures. Mainly, I’ve been immersing myself in Chinese stories as research for a book I’m working on (since I’m half-Italian and half-English/German mutt). As a result, I often have to explain ChineseContinue reading “Subverting Tropes”
The Writing Bug 