Go to the source: Want to know how it feels to sit in a Mercedes Benz, or the smell of a horse, or the sound of a forest? Go to the source. Window shop at a high end car dealer, visit a horse veterinarian or enlist the help of horsey friends. The woods are not silent....
"Goals and Goal Timelines Writing goals are fabulous tools. They get us to put the words on the page, they motivate us to submit our manuscripts, they push us over hurdles when we’d rather give up. You’ve sent goals, right? Finish the first draft – or better yet,...
"The middle of the book is often a really crucial turning point for a writer. For me, I usually find myself at a crossroad not sure where to turn with the book. I've found that printing out and reading what I've written so far helps me reconnect with the characters so...
"Editing: The most important thing you will ever do. I'm not kidding. First, self-edit. Find your style. Do you like to edit as you write? Do you prefer to finish the first draft and then go back and edit? Fine. The important thing is that you do it. You may scoff,...
"I believe that to make it as a writer takes a combination of skill, persistence, and luck. William Feather aptly puts it, "Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." There is no way to predict what will be the right pitch at the...
"Go Low Tech I don't know how anyone ever managed to write and revise a novel before the invention of computers (laptops!) with word processing. The speed and maneuverability, the way you can lift whole passages out and slot them in somewhere better--it's fantastic....
"My simple tip for writers is this: write. Write every day. Don’t let your internal critic talk you out of it because you still need to learn this or that skill, or you haven’t got that perfect synopsis yet or the ‘just right’ computer to get started. Tell that fussy...
"One thing I often hear is this...I've always wanted to write a book. I often respond with: Have you started it? Nine times out of ten? The answer is no. There's no trick to writing a book other than this. Write it. There are no magic beans, no secret ingredient, no...
This month I'm bringing you a series of writing tips from some of my favorite authors. There will also be tips from my writer friends. You might even find the odd writing tip from me. Come back every day for writing advice from authors such as Shiloh Walker, Nalini...
