• Writers, to say we’re living in a weird time is an understatement. Coronavirus has a majority of our lives on pause, leaving us with a lot of extra time...

    Writing Your Book During COVID-19 Self-Isolation

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    To say we’re living in a weird time is an understatement. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has a majority of our lives on pause, leaving us with a lot of extra time we didn’t have before. To all my writers, if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book now is the perfect time to get started—and finish! 10 Tips to Writing Your Book During COVID-19 1. Build a schedule. We all need some normalcy in our lives right now and routines are a great way to infuse some comfort into our days. Create a writing schedule that includes time for research, character building,…

  • Set the Scene for Writing Success

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    Most writers have a routine they like to follow, and bless your heart if you suggest changing it. Maybe you like to curl up on the couch with a notepad and pencil, or perhaps you have worn your imprint into the best seat at a coffee shop (you know the one: right next to an outlet, a table, and a window). Every now and then, though, it does the writer’s soul good to evaluate if your writing process is really working you, and find some easy solutions to shake it up a bit. 1.) What writing phase are you completing? It is no…

  • There are certain things that you absolutely need to keep your writing at its best. Here are 15 things every writer needs to have on their desk.

    15 Things Every Writer Needs On Their Desk

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    Painters need a canvas, paint, paintbrushes, and a rolling landscape begging to be painted. Musicians need an instrument, quarter notes on sheet music, and an audience to play for. What do writers need to create their artistic medium of choice? Obviously, a writer needs paper, pen, and an idea. We know it’s not that simple though, right? Writers need inspiration—but how you go about tracking down and bottling that inspiration is different for everyone. Some writers are basic; they need a dictionary and thesaurus for unsticking their brain, and that’s it. Other writers need a desk with a window view and lots…

  • Creating Steady Flow in Dialogue

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    People like to talk, and if you listen to some everyday conversations you will hear some common patterns: lots of “like” and “um”, pointless repetition, interjections of completely unrelated topics, and unfinished or incomplete sentences. This is all fine in real life but would never work in your writing—and this is the core of why capturing dialogue that feels authentic but completes its purpose is so difficult. Whether you are writing your memoir or a fictional novel, these tips will help your dialogue flow and feel more finished. 1. Cut Out the Day-to-Day All dialogue must move the story forward,…