Each month I take a moment to pause and share a few things I’ve found to be helpful and fun along the journey as a busy writer.
I hope you find them to be enlightening and encouraging!
Article Roundup: Beta Readers
I recently wrote about the importance and value of working with beta readers.
Getting and using feedback from beta readers can make a huge difference in making our work the best it can be! Here are some great posts from around the web to help us get the most out of the beta reading process.
Writing Feedback: The Ultimate Guide to Working with Beta Readers– The Write Life
- This is a great walk through of how to work with beta readers from start to finish, as well as how to handle feedback.
Relax! Beta Readers Aren’t Scary: Here Are 3 Truths About Them– Helping Writers Become Authors
- Sometimes it can be intimidating to think about people reading our stories and giving us comments. This is an encouraging guide on how to approach beta reading without getting overwhelmed.
A Complete Guide To Beta Reading– Mythcreants
- Here is another informative and approachable guide to the beta reading process, including what beta readers can and can’t do for us.
Questions for Your Beta Readers- and To Focus Your Own Revisions– Fiction University
- This is a really helpful list for figuring out what questions to ask our beta readers… or even just questions to be asking ourselves as we write and revise our work.
Book Spotlight: Geekerella by Ashley Poston
I love fairy tale retellings, so it was no surprise that I picked up Geekerella to give it a read. What was surprising to me was how much I enjoyed it!
Geekerella isn’t just a modern rehashing of a classic, it breathes richness into the story of Cinderella, creating something new and worthwhile of standing on its own.
Ashley Poston does an excellent job working in the essentials of the Cinderella story (evil step-mother, step-sisters, pumpkin coach, etc) while not being overly predictable or cliche about it. And in addition to the classic fairy tale timeline, we have the brilliant backdrop of the Sci-Fi show Starfield and its fandom, which the main character “geek-girl” Elle is a part of. It made me want to be watch Starfield myself! I also appreciated the inclusion of a few diverse characters, individuals who added to the story on their own right. And then the story also had humor and adventure- what’s not to love?
This was a quick and entertaining YA read that kept me hooked and left me wanting more. Happy reading!
Recipe of the Month: Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki
This recipe is so simple and so delicious! I haven’t made a ton of Greek food before but this definitely inspires me to make it more. I’ve made the chicken several times now even without the rest of the fixings just because it’s that good. And did I mention easy? It’s easy. 🙂
Self Care Homework: Stretching
Taking a few moments to stretch and move our bodies can help us to feel healthier, reduce stress, and increase energy. And practicing mindfulness while stretching, by focusing on our bodies and trying to let go of other thoughts and worries, can help us to relax and rest.
So reach for the sky and take some deep breaths! Let’s make time to stretch daily to help us feel well and be well.
Writing Prompt: The Unlikely Hero
Write a character sketch about a school teacher who is recruited to help a secret government task force.
Cuteness Quota: Kitten in Pink <3
Quote:
“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” —Ernest Hemingway
Happy writing to you all! I hope your month has been fabulous and full of joy.
I’m always looking for feedback and ways to make this site helpful to you, so if you have any writing questions you’d like me to tackle next or topics to focus on, please let me know below in the comments! I’d love to hear from you 🙂
