Reading and writing have always been my first loves. I haven't stopped reading since I learned how (many moons ago...don't ask) and I'm pretty sure I'm a book-a-holic. I've been telling stories since I could talk and have worked hard at improving my craft. Though I have a 9-to-5 type day job, I absolutely loveContinue reading "“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” (Lewis Carroll)"
The Art of Writing FAST Part III
(Approx 9 minute read) This is the last article of my three-part series on the Art of Writing Fast. Previously, we discussed what is fast-writing, and why you ought to consider trying this technique. Then we dove into the “how” behind this method. Without further ado, I introduce to you <insert drum roll here> theContinue reading "The Art of Writing FAST Part III"
The Art of Writing FAST Part II
In a previous article, I discussed the benefits of Fast Writing (both what it is and why it’s awesome sauce!) Now, I’d like to share the “how” behind this technique…
The Art of Writing FAST
The idea of writing FAST excites me. When I was younger, finishing books quickly was something I'd always wanted to do, but I believed there was some code I needed to crack before I could achieve results. I'm here to tell you that's not true. There's no code, no secret, no one-size-fits-all formula. Nope. And you get all the details here, in my new mini-series, for free. This article was originally published in the Killer Nashville Magazine's May 2024 issue.
Spunk & Bite (A craft novel review)
Most writers are probably familiar with the classic book on writing craft "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White (also called "Strunk and White"). Written by a Cornell University English professor, this book has been a staple in the writing community. Originally published in 1920 (self-published in 1918), this book is in its 4thContinue reading "Spunk & Bite (A craft novel review)"
Thomas Dabney Mabry, Jr Creative Writing Award Winner!!
I ranked #1 in the inaugural Thomas Dabney Mabry, Jr Creative Writing Award for an excerpt from my unpublished novel "Overshadow." It was an incredible honor to receive this award at the 19th Clarksville Writers Conference.
Rejecto-Acceptometer
(Approx 4 minute read) Who else nerds out as bad as I do with querying? I developed a system using Excel to track agents I’ve queried and their responses over the past year to see my progress (by the way, getting rejections is progress and before you argue your point about how that cannot possiblyContinue reading "Rejecto-Acceptometer"
Happy National Short Story Day!
It’s been a hot minute since I last updated this blog. Where’ve I been? Writing! I completed the rough draft of two books, starting in late August and ending November 30, 2023. It’s been busy, to say the least. Book #1 (an adult thriller) wound up at just over 60,000 words once completed, and BookContinue reading "Happy National Short Story Day!"
Pages, Players, and Perspectives
When you set out to write a book (or short story), do you try to imagine the audience? If writing is simply a creative outlet for you and you don't have plans for publishing, then this post may not be for you. But if you do have dreams of seeing your name in print (beContinue reading "Pages, Players, and Perspectives"
Find Your Community
We don’t exist in a bubble. And no matter how introverted you are, if you have the dream of “someday” getting published, you need people. Good people. Positive-feedback givers, real-life story swappers, and, most important, cheerleaders. I’ll be the first to say it’s really hard to find these groups, but not impossible. I wrote anContinue reading "Find Your Community"
The Writing Craft (a curated list for those who never stop learning)
One thing I love more than writing is studying the craft. Since I was a teen, I remember scouring the English Language/Writing section of Borders. (Gosh, do you remember Borders? I loved that bookstore). I spent so much of my babysitting cash on craft books (and CDs, this was after all, the pre-streaming Amazon musicContinue reading "The Writing Craft (a curated list for those who never stop learning)"