I love watching soccer, all kinds of soccer at all levels. Our whole family does! We go to local games for our rec teams, cup teams, our local USL team the Riverhounds, even MLS teams like Columbus Crew. And we took a family trip to see EPL teams Liverpool, Leeds, Man U and Everton. And… Read more »
General writing
Should I hire a professional editor for my book?
You’ve written the final draft of your book, and you’re so proud. You want to submit it to that dream agent RIGHT NOW! You’ve revised it, used the “find” tool to go through the whole manuscript and delete unnecessary words, you’ve worked on showing, not telling, and you’ve even come up with a great pitch…. Read more »
Some Advice for Writers from Birders
I’m both a birder and a writer. When I bird, I’m often out there enjoying whatever birds come my way. But sometimes, I’m looking for a specific bird. I have a goal. It can be frustrating when I can’t find it, and even more frustrating when others can. When I’m writing, I’m often creating a… Read more »
Critique Group Feedback on Creating Characters and Connecting with Readers
Getting into costume is a great way to get into character. Writers need to get into their character’s head every time they write a story. But they also need to get into their reader’s head and figure out how their reader will connect with their main character. It’s not easy to hold all of… Read more »
The Best Critique Comments I’ve Gotten This Month
I’m so lucky I have amazing critique partners. They are generous with their time and expertise and so honest about what parts of the story need work. They are also really, really interested in helping me make my work better. And they never forget to leave a kind comment! I participate in webinars and group… Read more »
My Life as a Writer, or a Writer’s World of Work
This little sketch of the Earth with tiny satellites orbiting it is a model of my life as a writer. Well, it’s the model my husband suggested to me. We were at breakfast and I was telling him about the projects I had sent to my agent, the one I was working on now,… Read more »
Tech Tips for Writers: Historical Weather and a Research Challenge
When you’re writing a story, setting is key. And weather is a part of the story. It’s valuable in nonfiction, historical fiction, or any story. When I write about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, it’s important for me to note it was snowing in April. But how do I know that? How… Read more »
Is Canva Pro worth it for writers?
There are so many things to think about when writing books. Character, plot, setting, voice, POV, tense, adverbs, cliffhangers, villains, heroes, and more!!! But once you get the story written, the manuscript sold, and the book published (easy peasy) then comes the hard work of getting the word out about your book and connecting with… Read more »
Tech Tricks for Writers: Autocorrect
Here’s a fun tech trick for writers. Have you ever gotten really frustrated with autocorrect? Of course you have. But sometimes it offers genius moments. Unexpected combinations of words. Creative interpretations our logical brains would never produce. Hilariously inappropriate statements. Just recently I suggested that my husband get a cough drop but autocorrect suggested a… Read more »
Do You Use a Standing Desk?
Do you use a standing desk? I’m trying out a new standing desk in my office. I used to have a very tall craft desk. I thought I might stand to write, but I couldn’t stand for eight hours. I ended up buying a tall drafting chair so I could sit sometimes. Then I ended… Read more »