Why do I write? I read a quote some time ago that has stuck somewhere in my mind or heart, or perhaps both. It went something like this: “The act of writing is the act of discovering what you believe.” So much has been said of writing. Probably even more has been written about writing. […]
Category: On Writing
Posts, tips, and insights on various aspects of the writing journey and the craft of writing.
Writing Powerful Character Motivations in Your Story
Why do characters need good motivations? Have you ever read a story where the characters’ motivations just weren’t solid? It might have been the protagonist or the villain whose motivation lacked substance, but it just made the story drag. When you learned what the antagonist’s main motivation was, and why he or she wreaked so […]
Does a Writer Need a Literary Agent?
Agents. It was a topic that came up repeatedly during a writer’s conference I recently attended. “What is the agent’s role?” “Do I really need a literary agent?” “Can’t I get a book published on my own?” Some of the questions I heard about the pros and cons of literary agents during the conference were […]
Pros and Cons of Writing in Only One Genre
A warning. This observation might go against the word on the market. The advice of the traditional publishing market is to choose a genre and stick to it for the sake of that market … And also, they say, for the sake of the readers … but mainly, I believe, it is for the sake […]
11 Things Every Writer Should Know about Kindle Vella
If you are an aspiring or established writer, and especially if you are a self-published author, you’ll want to know all about Kindle Vella. It’s a new publishing platform on Amazon where you can publish serialized stories one episode at a time. In April of this year, I received an email from Kindle Direct Publishing […]
Nine Steps to Being a Miserable Writer
I don’t know who originally came up with this “writing advice” … But it’s all true, and useful suggestions to help you on the path to becoming a better writer. Because you have enough difficulties in life without growing miserable because of choices you are making in the realm of writing. Let’s look at the […]
Tips on Writing Strong Characters in Fiction (And in Life Too)
Strong characters. Every story needs them. A book can have the most plot-driven story line in existence, but if the readers can’t relate to the characters, they’re going to put the book down without finishing it. When we, as readers, love a character, it keeps us glued to the story, flipping the pages, not noticing […]
16 Tips on Tightening Your Writing
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects […]
Five Ways to Develop a Creative Community
These days, it is easier than ever before to access a creative community. We interact with others online via social media pretty much on a daily basis. But in spite of all the interactions, the posts and comments, do you struggle with really connecting with others? I’d venture to say we’re at risk of losing […]
Four Ways to Find Inspiration for Writing
I have to admit, throughout much of 2020, it was a challenge to “feel” creative and inspired to write. Of course, there’s a balance to be found between … waiting on the muse to descend, and starting to write whether you feel inspired or not But (for me, at least) that muse hid pretty well. […]
Bonita Jewel 