Why am I writing about my 2021 writing successes? Well, children's author Julie Hedlund challenged participants of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year. She believes the way New Year's resolutions are traditionally made comes from a place…
This collection of essays about making a living as a fiction writer had me laughing out loud and reading extended sections (when I could get them out without cracking up) to my critique group and long-suffering husband. Besides being a healthy dose of fun, these essays were practical and encouraging. …
Writing Stories: Fantastic Fiction from Start to Finish aims to help middle grade students get started writing fiction. This slim little volume packs a lot of good advice, and it contains a fair few writing exercises that would seem like good ways to get going on a story if I…
What is Robert's Rules of Writing? I picked this book of short essays (tips) on writing in a thrift store because the price was right, but I knew I’d enjoy it when the very first rule was “Burn your Journal.” Though plenty of writers I know find journals helpful, I’ve…
I read 2,000-10,000 after it was recommended by one of the other members of my critique group (Kendrick E. Knight, who writes delightful science fiction available on amazon). I couldn’t claim to be writing anything like 2,000 words to start with and was interested in seeing how this woman increased…