Last week I talked about the importance of reading for writers and the various types of benefits books can have. Which got me to thinking about what I’ve been reading lately and what’s on my to-read list! Hopefully we will all be getting a bit of time over the holidays to do some reading, right? […]
Stephen King has famously said: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” And who are we to argue? Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of getting our writing done, the busyness of upcoming holidays, or the general chaos of everyday life. […]
Sometimes we’re totally ready for a new challenge or adventure. Other times… maybe not so much. Getting Started: Ready or Not? I’ve been thinking about challenges as Nanowrimo starts off this week- I have been hemming and hawing about whether or not to sign up because no, I don’t feel ready. I’m reminded that there […]
Fall is solidly here and I’m hearing about all these amazing things that the kids are learning at school. They’re learning new reading and writing strategies, what different dinosaurs ate, taking Chinese language classes, practicing deep breathing and conflict resolution, and figuring out word problems in math. And I’m just so impressed! Gosh, when was […]
Do you get up before dawn and write first thing in the morning? Do you have a special “writing nook” or space of some sort to work in? Do you write for five minutes at a time or fifty? Writing can look like lots of different things. The tl;dr version is that there is no […]
What should we get for the writer, creator, and/or book lover in our life? Or… ahem… what to get for ourselves? 😉 Here are a few favorites and highly reviewed options to consider! I know I’ll be adding a few to my wish list, at least the ones I don’t already own! Sure we still […]
This week I’m talking about magic systems over at Fiction University so you should take two minutes to come check it out! Creating Magic Systems That Work and Wow Magic can be one of the most fun parts of writing fantasy- hopefully this can be a helpful guide as we think through what exactly makes […]
There are so many mythical creatures throughout the world! Today we’re looking at seven different kinds of mythical birds that may be often overlooked. Writing prompts are included just for added fun and to get the creative sparks flying! 🙂 Note: As with most myths and folklore, the information about these creatures is varied and […]
School has started, the days are flying by, and Nanowrimo will be here before you know it! Nanowrimo takes place during the month of November and is basically a writing challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. But it is also so much more than just that. Nonowrimo is a challenge […]
Strong emotions (especially negative emotions such as grief, failure, and shame) can be uncomfortable. As humans we try to temper and shy away from some of these messier emotions and the undignified moments of life. It shouldn’t surprise us that as writers we sometimes do the same thing. Now, for the record, it’s not necessarily […]
There are more mythical reptiles than just dragons! Learning about lesser-known creatures can inspire our stories, broaden our horizons, and just be super cool and interesting. Today we’re looking at eight different kinds of mythical reptilian and amphibian creatures that may be often overlooked. Writing prompts are included just for added fun and to get […]
Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things from the past few months! Read to the end for a quick note on what I’ve been up to and thinking about these days 🙂 And as always, feel free to share some of your favorite things in the comments below! Please note that some links […]
This month we’re collecting posts from the archives on some of our biggest topics. Today we’re looking at mental wellness, one half of the blog’s core theme of “writing and wellness.” Mental wellness shouldn’t be seen as optional or an afterthought- it’s actually a very big deal. It’s also a very varied topic, including (just […]
August is a time when we dip our toes into some posts from the archives! Today we’re looking at story structure which is the most read and shared topic on the blog. Specifically, this infograph is the number one most shared item on the blog and has been shared thousands of times! Story structure can […]