Some thoughts on fiction and life “These are the times that try men’s souls.” … Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776 This is the first sentence of Paine’s essay urging retaliation against Britain’s control over the colonies. Now, over two centuries later, both men and women must grapple with the aggressive Coronavirus pandemic. Fear. It can…
Tag: fear
My Journey Toward Self-Publishing
For the last couple of months, I can’t really say I’ve been in my writing hole. It’s probably closer to the truth to say I’ve been in my project management hole. But I’m out now, and I want to talk about my experience. See, I am self-publishing my debut novel. I came to this conclusion…
Character Building with the Enneagram
A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop on the Enneagram, a method for analyzing personalities. Although the Enneagram is intended to help you understand yourself and the people around you, it also makes a great character-building tool for writers. Here are a few steps to get started using it. 1. Determine your character’s primary…
It’s October, and Halloween isn’t the only scary thing out there
It’s been a month since the Colorado Gold Conference. Since that incredible high of being surrounded by other writers, listening to speakers, attending presentations. If you’re like me, you came home so motivated to get going on that WIP, or start a new book, or revise, or even submit that under-the-bed manuscript that really IS…
How Contests Can Take Your Writing to the Next Level
RMFW’s annual Colorado Gold contest is fast approaching—submissions open April 1st! Have you considered entering? As someone who’s entered several contests, won a couple, lost a lot more, and judged some as well, I highly recommend the experience. Here’s why. You’re forced to perfect your opening. For most of us, the opening is the hardest part of…