I met this year's NaNoWriMo challenge with an open throttle and pedal to the floor hitting 50,000 words on Friday, November 15th. But I didn't celebrate. I wasn't excited at all. I still had to finish it. I was super close and had several choices, but worried about the ending. Remember, worry and doubt is... Continue Reading →
Why NaNoWriMo Works and It’s Not Too Late to Join!
Eleven days into the vortex that is NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and I hit the 34,000-word mark on Monday. I know. I'm nuts. I have realized several things about myself, my writer's life, and the personality type that could help YOU write a novel in less than a month. If you can relate to any... Continue Reading →
How to Write a Book in One Month
You can write a book in one month All it takes is an idea that excites you and a few tips I learned during Nanowrimo - National Novel Writing Month. Read on to find out how! Writing a novel may seem like a huge undertaking given how many hours it takes to complete a draft.... Continue Reading →
How to Write Thousands of Words a Day
Want to get into the habit of writing thousands of words a day? Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month AKA Nanowrimo? I've learned some tricks that might help you reach your goal. Four years ago, I wrote a draft of my second book in a series, hitting around two thousand words per day... Continue Reading →
Make a Vision Board and Reach Your Goals!
I've been wanting to create a vision board to help me reach my goals for a while now. The idea is to make us aware of opportunities when they arise and to keep us motivated and moving forward when challenged. But even more than that, it can give hope when we feel like giving up.... Continue Reading →
On Writing, Querying, and Perseverance
After persevering through the daunting task of writing their first novel, some writers (like me) have made the monumental mistake of thinking it's finished and query it too soon. Taking it out of the oven half-baked and presenting it to customers can be unnerving while they chew on the sticky dough. Most spit it out... Continue Reading →
How La La Land Inspires Writers and Artists
Have you seen La La Land? You should. It will inspire you. Here's why: Writers and artists can be sensitive people, right? We tack our work up on the wall for everyone to judge and hope someone, anyone, even if they're in the back of the room, gets what we were trying to do. It's... Continue Reading →
My Resolution Failures and Why You Should Join The Big Chill in 2017
When I realized I would fail to reach my 2016 resolutions, disappointment kicked me in the gut and I landed on the floor. While gasping for breath, I discovered lots of dust bunnies under the furniture. Sheesh. The plan had been set. I had stayed on target. Very few sparkly things led me astray. In... Continue Reading →
An Ephemeral Exercise in Balance – Author or Blogger?
Five years ago someone asked me, “Do you want to be an author or a blogger?” I scratched my head and wondered why I couldn't be both. Balance is something I struggle for all the time. I take a few steps on the slackline and feel in control just to plummet face first in the... Continue Reading →