NaNoWriMo: When It Feels Like Your Writing’s No Good…
We’re well into NaNoWriMo, and the emotions are doing what they do — shooting us high and dropping us low! For me, it’s never a wall of doubt. Rather, the creeping suspicions start gradually, a little like a walk through … Continued
NaNoWriMo: How to Procrastinate When You Should be Writing
Happy, happy NaNoWriMo!! I hope you’re off to a great start, burning up the keyboard with your plot map, creating a colorful cast of characters, putting all that research to good use. But if you’re slowing down, dreading the blinking … Continued
Preptober: Map Your Plot
Map your plot! Confession: When talking shop with another writer, if they tell me they don’t plot their novels, my heart sinks. It’s not because I’m a novel snob. (But, I mean, aren’t we all?) It’s because I’ve read too … Continued
Preptober: Create a Cast of Characters
Think of your favorite story. Have it in your head? What makes it your favorite? Chances are, it’s the cast of characters. Whether you side with the hero or the villain–or even the winning sidekick–the characters make a story come … Continued
Preptober: Research Your Novel
Bittersweet! It’s finally cooled off a little here in our part of the world. From eighties to this morning’s mid-forties, we have weather whiplash at the Smith Creative Headquarters. But no matter how balmy or breezy, it’s still Preptober! And … Continued
How to Speak to a Crowd
You’ve booked a public appearance to promote your work! Fabulous!! But, wait–that means you have to speak. Erm, like, in front of people. Maybe lots of people. Yikes. If the dread has you fantasizing of calling off the whole thing, … Continued
3 Creativity-Boosting Exercises
People carry a lot of baggage about creativity. They either think, “Oh, I’m just not creative,” or, “I’m creative as heck so I can’t be bothered by things like ‘routines’.” Well, you know what, I’m not “a math person” (<–not … Continued
Get More Done with Time Blocking
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of trouble getting things done when there are a *lot* of things! I’m usually writing a book, marketing a book, and working on the blog every week. This summer, I … Continued
3 Resources for Writing Contests and Grants
Do you have a finished piece of work that you’re ready to share, but not ready to send out for publication? The answer might be a writing contest! Competitions and grants can be great ways to get your work … Continued
How to Build Confidence as a Writer
Is it possible to build confidence as a writer? I don’t know about you, but I find it incredibly difficult to talk about my work. I can talk for hours on writing in general, but to speak about my … Continued