So there you sit, staring at the book you’ve written. You’re proud of your hard work, and you should be. Now you’re faced with “What do I do next?” If you’ve only just finished the draft, then it’s time to start in on revisions. Maybe you’ve revised and revised, and then revised some more and feel it’s…
When a task intimidates you, are you inclined to procrastinate doing it? I admit, I do. Usually it’s fear that stops me from taking action. Fear of the technology or the complexity of the task and so I procrastinate (for days, months, and yes, even years). Invariably when I finally get to a point of
Mondays. The hardest day of the week for me and many others. For most because they face getting up and going to the 9-5 job. Yes, I have to get up, but I only have to walk 6 feet from my bed to my office desk. How great is that! Whether you leave home for…
I’m pleased to have award-winning Canadian author Irish Beth Maddock here with me today. She’s been a newspaper columnist, been featured in Reader’s Digest, and on broadcasts including 100 Huntley Street, Okanagan News Television, and with Canadian National Broadcast Radio. She is a published poet who has both performed in and directed plays and musical…
Lately, I’ve noticed several of the same kinds of mistakes occurring in the manuscripts I’m reviewing, so I thought I’d address them here today. Let’s start with the easiest one to fix. Dialog tags before the dialog You can find this mistake with ease, and fix it just as quickly. It happens most often when…
It’s National Ice Cream Month. Now there’s an idea I can sink my teeth into…brain freeze! I like ice cream. My favorite flavor is Bordeaux cherry chocolate. Mmmm, heaven on earth. But what does that have to do with writing? I thought I’d give you some story ideas to play around with while you enjoy…
Flashbacks. You know what I’m talking about. When a writer rips us from the present moment of the story and catapults us into the past. And that’s the problem. It stops the forward momentum of your story. Like a driver slamming on the brakes and you go flying through the windshield. First, realize a flashback…
For people dipping their toes into the vast sea of publishing for the first time, knowing how to find a publisher can be an overwhelming task. I’m talking to those who have ventured into these waters from another field. Doctor, teacher, business exec, stay-at-home mom. And now God has given you a story or message…