When I started writing books, I used to get home from work, change out of my uniform, grab a coffee, and start work. I’d write for around two hours before powering down the computer and preparing dinner. I did this every weekday, and by the end of the month, I had a...
By the time I decided I wanted to write, I’d read romances for years and had unconsciously absorbed a lot about story structure and characterization. It never occurred to me to plot. I knew what I wanted to write and sat down and pounded out that sucker. After a...
If you’ve followed my advice about reading many books, you probably know what genre you want to write or at least have worked out the genres you enjoy most. Here is a post on choosing your next writing project and another post with suggestions on what to write. Some...
I’ve been writing for a long time now. Wow! Just did a mental count, and it’s over twenty years with my first book published in 2004. I feel positively ancient. Anyway, new writers are always popping into Facebook and other writer groups, eager for pearls of wisdom....
These days there are many tools available to help in the writing of a book. Here are a few that I use and recommend. Some of the tools overlap, and I don’t always use everything in the intended way. I adapt my usage to suit my needs and writing habits. 1. 4 The Words...
I discovered One Stop for Writers after following the Writers Helping Writers blog and subsequently buying a copy of the Emotions Thesaurus. Both are fantastic resources for writers at all experience levels, but when One Stop for Writers went live, I signed up for the...
At the start of 2020, I was having trouble getting back into a writing routine after the holidays. Going for days without writing or any procrastination was not on the cards because I had deadlines stacked for the entire year. One of the Facebook groups I belong to...
Romances set in small towns are popular amongst romance readers. They’re a comfort read with a sense of warmth and community. The things I love about small-town reads: 1. The slower pace of life. 2. The gossip factor can be quite high since everyone knows everyone’s...
Sometimes it’s just impossible to write. Life gets in the way or something shinier comes along, something way more fun than writing. I’ve been writing for ten years now, and I’ve come up with several strategies to give myself a kick start when the last thing I want to...
