When we talk about writing, we often talk about setting the scene and evoking a sense of place, giving readers a backdrop to imagine. But what about the way the place affects the characters?
Read moreCreating Characters from the Outside In
We tend to create our characters from the inside out, but what if we gave it a shot from the outside in?
Read moreBehind the Scenes: I’m Not Missing, by Carrie Fountain
Last week, Carrie Fountain launched her new novel, I’m Not Missing, at Book People, here in Austin, and I couldn’t wait to hear her talk about her writing process. Fountain started as a poet, and I was particularly curious about how she thought the two disciplines—poetry and prose—worked together.
Read moreStorytellers: Stephen G. Yanoff
Storytellers is part of my “Literary Luminary” series, featuring insights on writing and publishing straight from the folks who do it for a living. Storyteller Stephen G. Yanoff is a former insurance company executive from Long Island, New York. He worked in Manhattan for over twenty years and became an acknowledged expert in the field of high-risk insurance. His mystery novels and nonfiction history books have won over twenty-five national and international book awards.
Read moreThe Myth of “Write What You Know”
The advice may be well intentioned, but we tend to take it too far, translating it to mean “write only what you know.”
Read moreThree Reasons Shorter Can Be Better
While many tomes, from War and Peace to the last Harry Potterbook, are definitely valuable literature, it’s not their length that makes them great. And, conversely, well-done short stories and novellas can be incredibly powerful.
Read moreA Peek Behind the Curtain with Hustle Up: ATX Ladies Who Network
Hustle Up: ATX Ladies Who Network founder Jacky Lamenzo interviewed me (on video!) for a series on women who’ve taken the leap from side hustle to full-time hustle.
Read moreHow the #1 Rule of Improv Can Help You Get Along with Your Inner Critic
Learn how to play “yes, and” with your inner critic to overcome writer’s block.
Read moreStaying Sane During Writing Hours
Maybe writing isn’t your full-time job (or maybe it is, in which case, go you), but when you sit down at your desk for hours at a time, working in solitude on this project that is only yours, I bet some of those same feelings—both good and kind of scary—creep up.
Read moreWorld Building: The Dictionary of Imaginary Places
As a kid, I loved poring through the dictionary, revisiting worlds I’d been to and worlds I hadn’t. Today, I like to reference it when I’m helping authors develop their own magical places.
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