Critique Groups, Reading Groups, First Readers… whatever you want to call them, they are worth their weight in gold. I’m coming to the whole “Crit Group” thing a bit late. I’ve already written four books of various lengths and genres without ever partaking in any organized reader/feedback/critique group. So why am I doing it now? Well, despite having the books written, they remain unpublished. Is that because they aren’t good or is it because I simply haven’t found the right combination of Publisher + timing + luck? Maybe it’s a bit of both. Whenever I find myself asking questions like that I know I have to find the answer and fast. I can ask my family and friends what they […]
Read moreCategory: Irreverent Muse
The Writing Life: Connecting with People
You might be asking yourself why I would want to talk about connecting with people. After all, as a writer, you write a story and people read it, right? They buy your book, you collect the money and write another and the cycle of reader/writer life simply goes on in perpetuity. I suspect those of you who have some inkling about the challenges writer’s face are already laughing. If you aren’t laughing, I think you might need a small (or large) dose of reality. The truth is, your writing won’t resonate with everyone. It has probably happened to you too; you pick up a book and start reading it only to quickly lose interest and put it down. It’s happened […]
Read moreNanoWriMo is here again!
November is fast approaching and with it, NanoWriMo. For those of you who have no idea what NanoWriMo is, allow me to offer this brief description. NanoWriMo is a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. Sound impossible? For some it is the ultimate challenge. Last year over 100,000 people participated in NanoWriMo with more than 15,000 hitting the 50,000 word mark. Were the 15,000+ novels publishable? Unlikely. In fact few will ever be published but that isn’t the point. “So what is the point?” you might ask. NanoWriMo certainly has its share of detractors who feel that it is a waste of time. They don’t believe that it creates a writing habit; it’s just a frenzy of writing […]
Read moreThe Writer’s Life – Dealing with Low Motivation
Let me begin by saying that I love to write. Most days I enjoy building worlds, creating unique characters and letting stories unfold. Note that I said “Most days”. There are times when I simply cannot get myself motivated to write. Some might call it writer’s block, but not me. For me it’s usually because I have too many things I want to write. I kid you not, too much of a good thing can prove overwhelming. That was the case the past 10 days or so. I have no shortage of writing and projects on the go: my fantasy novel rewrite, my Critters submissions, my Nano novel to plot, query letters to send out and the list goes on. […]
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