Open book with reading glasses
On Writing

Reading for Research

Reading for research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I love discovering new genres and learning what already has been done. It is exhilarating to find a new book to love, something that has happened to me on multiple occasions through this process. I have grown from the "research reading" I’ve… Continue reading Reading for Research

David Farland's Million Dollar Outlines book
Book Reviews

Book Recommendation: Million Dollar Outlines, by David Farland

I’m so excited to share with you my latest read on writing! A few weeks ago, I finished Million Dollar Outlines, by David Farland. I first heard of the book when I attended David Farland’s “Writing Enchanted Prose” class at Fyrecon last year, and bought it because I don’t have great skill in outlining. I… Continue reading Book Recommendation: Million Dollar Outlines, by David Farland

Two men having a discussion
On Writing

Gracefully Accepting Criticism

Criticism is a hard pill to swallow. But just as it is important to give criticism constructively, it is important to receive criticism gracefully, even when you don’t ask for it. Because criticism can be your greatest catalyst for growth, here are some ideas for taking criticism gracefully and what to look for in criticism… Continue reading Gracefully Accepting Criticism

Two men having a conversation
On Writing

Constructive Critiques

Giving and receiving critiques is a critical part of the writing process. It is the secret sauce that helps writers take their prose from rough drafts to best sellers. It is a way that we, as writers, can support each other in our common goal of improving our craft and our work.  Giving other writers… Continue reading Constructive Critiques

Bullet journal Calendar Page
On Writing, Productivity for Creatives

Bullet Journaling for Writers

Finding a good planner for writing can be a struggle. I looked for years and couldn’t find one that worked well with what I needed as a writer. And truth be told, I didn’t really know what I needed as a writer because I was (and still am) trying to figure out my process. I… Continue reading Bullet Journaling for Writers

Playing Chess
On Writing

The Mental Game of Writing Your First Book

My dear friends, I have finally achieved one of my longest held life dreams.  I. WROTE.  A BOOK!  I typed “the end” on DEMON FALL on June 27th and was happy with my last two chapters on July 3rd. I can’t even describe how good it feels to finally join the ranks of people who… Continue reading The Mental Game of Writing Your First Book

Woman writing at a computer
On Writing

Breaking Writer’s Block

Writer’s block. Arguably one of the greatest banes of a writer’s life. It doesn’t care what kind of a writer you are, how many books or articles or whatever you’ve written. It doesn’t care how long you’ve been practicing your craft. It lurks in the shadows for the right moment to strike. Personally, writer’s block… Continue reading Breaking Writer’s Block

Tile
Productivity for Creatives

The Fruits of “Laying Tile”: Set Up For Success

Last week, I mentioned some writing advice I got from a panel Jeff Wheeler was on at the Storymakers Writing Conference a year ago, and I wanted to go a little bit more in depth about it. A quick rehash: Wheeler used “laying tile” as a metaphor to describe his writing process (he puts out… Continue reading The Fruits of “Laying Tile”: Set Up For Success