Things have been scarce on the blog recently, and that’s down to three things: Deadlines for The Eleventh Trade revision The Invisible Boy draft 2 writing WriteOnCon‘s fundraiser!!!!! It’s the last thing I want to talk about today. If you don’t remember, WriteOnCon is an online kidlit conference covering everything from picture books to young adult, featuring tons of industry specialists from all around the spectrum. (I am personally incredibly ecstatic about GAIL CARSON LEVINE who is COMING TO THE CONFERENCE and I CAN’T EVEN DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!) Since I’ve been doing a lot over on WriteOnCon, I don’t want you guys to miss out....
As a mentee for writers, a critique partner, and person who generally has a lot of friends in very different stages of the author business, I end up talking to a lot of people about their first drafts. Especially their first-manuscript first drafts. The attitude of many first-manuscript writers can be summed up nicely in this graphic, which I’ve grabbed off Pinterest: (So much is wrong about this graphic, but I only got time for the starry-eyed attitude today.) There’s something very sweet and appealing about this. It reminds me of the sentimental early days of writing, and how every...
As you may have gathered, I travel. A lot. So I figured — why not take a look at my travel experiences and see what brought out the biggest differences among my companions? That way I can steal from our adventures and use it for character chemistry in my writing. (If you travel with me, there’s an 85% chance this will happen. That’s the risk you take being friends with a writer-person.) Even when you’re traveling with great people, there are subtle conflicts and compromises along the way. If you’re less lucky, those little adjustments can become stewing rage or explosive...
(This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and end up buying something, I’ll receive 20% of sales. Why? Because Scrivener is amazing. I’ve used it for five years and love it. And I thought, you know, since I talk about it literally all the time, maybe I should have it help pay for this blog.) Many moons ago, I posted a picture of my writing progress in Illuminate using one of Scrivener‘s special features: Composition background. First, I’ll let you know how what composition mode is and how to set...
There are a lot of guides around the web for drafting, brainstorming, and actual writing, but I feel like there’s less about an equally important aspect of a writer’s life: Revision. Revision is actually my favorite part of the whole writing process, so it’s a phase I hold near and dear to my heart. But I know for a lot of people, it’s the very devil incarnate. That’s why I’ve compiled some of my favorite guides for revision here. Peruse, take what you need, and get going on those edits! 1. Getting Organized to Write or Edit For those of you...
I’m a big fan of commissioning artists to make concept art for my WIPs, especially whenever I hit a milestone. It’s a great way to reward yourself with some pretty pictures, while also paying it forward into the wider artist community. Below I’ve compiled a list of 100 artists, mostly grabbed from DeviantArt, who are pretty darn awesome. You can click the pictures to be taken to their commission information pages. I snatched talented people from a range of experience and prices, so you’ll find everything from crazy ridiculous deals to professional illustrations. Enjoy! And always check the artists’ pages to...
Design is my second love (after writing). I worked as a designer for Creative Services for about a year at Berry College (before moving across the hallway to Public Relations), and I’ve kept up on my graphic design enthusiasm since. So when I needed to design a business card, I dove in head-first! However, I know that my nerd-love for design isn’t something every writer shares. When it comes time for conferences, gatherings, or other writing-related events, it’s always a good idea to have a business card on you. This entry will help give you direction as you start to...
A little bit ago, I participated in A Novel Idea’s prompt for story blurbs. It was a lot of fun and I got some great responses (shout out to my Tumblr folk and brambleberrycottage for chiming in!), so I’m doing it again: this time, with excerpts! Here’s the Novel Idea prompt for this week: This week, share a favorite quote from your novel: whether it’s one sentence long, a paragraph, or even a whole chapter. It can be from your current novel or one that you’re finished with. Writing can be filled with self-doubt, but this week, take the time...
Back in January, I shared my SMART goals for 2016. These are basically poorly-disguised New Year’s resolutions. I wanted to take a moment mid-year to look back at what I said then, and see how I’m doing. And because Accountability, I’m sharing it with you! A refresher: SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. How I’m Doing with My SMART Goals: Writing: Illuminate I wanted to finish two rounds of Illuminate revisions and have everything set to go by Fall 2016 at the very latest. Mid-year, I’m just about done with my “final” edits, and the book is...
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, these are some universally delightful ways to prepare for the madness of NaNoWriMo (which is coming very soon!). 1. Make a Playlist This is possibly my favorite part of brainstorming: Making a playlist! I particularly love to come up with a playlist with lyrics for characters or scenes, and a second playlist that is all instrumental. It’s a lot of fun deciding what instruments would be used for your characters’ themes in scores, and then building your own soundtrack around them. #nerd My favorite places to hunt for new music are: 8tracks, Spotify browse, and...
