-
The Shiny New Thing
I am inviting you along on my journey through the process of writing a novel, from the daily routines, to the spark of an idea, all the way through to THE END. Hold on to your seat. It will be a bumpy ride. But I hope you find some tips and tricks along the way to help you with your journey.
-
Those Elusive Characters
“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.” Ernest Hemmingway If I had known how much fun it was going to be to write a rom-com with teens travelling across the country by train, I would have done this years ago. What a blast! But… as I was writing merrily along, I found I was running into more questions than I had answers. They were planning to stay in Quebec City overnight, which, the more I delved into the “situation” the more unrealistic the whole thing seemed, at least for a teen novel. It felt too “adult.” And, was the…
-
Fiction, Happy New Year, How To Write A Novel: Step by Step, The Writing Life, Writing prompts, Writing quotes, writing tips
Write Your Story
“You only fail if you stop writing.” Ray Bradbury (from SmartBlogger 138 Writing Quotes to Inspire) For me, 2021 was a year of wandering. I started out with good intentions. With one manuscript out on submission, I had what I was confident was a great idea for a new teen contemporary novel. Maybe it would even be a rom-com. I wrote happily away, making excellent progress, until, I didn’t. It wasn’t a problem of not planning enough ahead, or anything like that. I actually had written beginning, middle and ending scenes. Enough to convince myself that I had a viable idea. Enough to convince myself that I had an idea…
-
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022
IN 2021, I faced the new year with SO MUCH excitement about a new manuscript, which I absolutely LOVE, being sent out on submission. Vaccines were sure to be on the horizon, bringing the end of Covid. I was full of hope and enthusiasm. I had virtual teachers’ conventions and author tours lined up. It was going to be an amazing year! That was January, 2021. January 2022, looks very different. My hope is a little more subdued. My writing journey has taken a little different turn than I expected. (More on that in coming posts.) The publisher of my historical fiction books, Ronald Hatch, of Ronsdale Press passed away.…
-
October Insights
“The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren’t looking for it. Columbus and America. Pinzon, who stumbled on Brazil while looking for the West Indies. Stanley happening on Victoria Falls. And you. Amy Curry, when I was least expecting her.” Roger Sullivan. Morgan Matson – Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour I was very excited to discover that Morgan Matson had a new contemporary novel out. Her stories are always a lot of fun and this one promises more of the same. So far, I am loving it. I’m at the part where the two theatre friends have just left for their night in the big city so I…