When is your novel done?
When is my novel done? This may be the question I’m asked most frequently by my students. It’s a subject[…]
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Category: Writing
Mystery of the Missing Ending
Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Right? Not always. Have you ever had the bad luck[…]
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It Was the Best of Times…
We’re heading into the homestretch of 2022. Looking back—even disregarding the politics and the pandemic—it seems like so much has[…]
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Four Tips for Writing a Series
Recently, an author friend preparing to teach a class on writing a series asked me what advice I’d give to an[…]
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Implied Consent – My Inspiration
The inspiration for Implied Consent was ripped from the headlines.
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Last day of NaNoWriMo
Who Wrote a Novel This Month? According to various statistics, between 350,000 and 450,000 writers banged out a draft for NaNoWriMo.
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My Thanksgiving Cooking Disasters
Sharon Ward has hosted Thanksgiving dinner for her family every year for more than forty years, yet never managed to pull it off without at least one disaster or another.
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Connecting Authors & Readers: Part 2
One of the first things impressed upon new authors is the importance of connecting with readers. If no one knows your book exists, they won’t read it. If they don’t read it, they can’t love it and recommend it to others. Today I’m highlighting Readerly Books, a resource for writers launched by historian turned librarian, reviewer, and book coach Robin Henry.
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Lies, Damn Lies, and Useful Misrememberings
In a very early draft of my first novel, A Dream of Death, one of my beta readers said of[…]
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Criminal Procedure for Mystery Writers
If your story includes a criminal prosecution, here is information you might find useful. Investigation Long before a case goes[…]
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