A guest post by paranormal and psychic mystery author Amie Gibbons... Congrats on the new book, Amie! When I was first publishing, my friend Dot (Dorothy Grant) had the best advice I’ve ever gotten as an author. And it can and should be applied to everything in life. “Embrace the suck.” Your first writings... Continue Reading →
Good Eve
Cedar's disclaimer: I am not a poet. This is strictly for fun, and should not be considered a serious attempt at poesy. Disclaimer the second: I blame the Evil Muse for this. Twas the day before Christmas, and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse. I sat at... Continue Reading →
Uncorking the Genie
We're all familiar with writer's block, even those of us who aren't writers. What, you never dreaded a school paper just because you didn't know what to say? At least with a research paper, or a book report, there's a kernel of... something there. With fiction it's both easier and harder. Easier because, as you... Continue Reading →
Write. Just Write – a guest post by Patrick Richardson
So I'm not officially a writer, well, not a fiction writer anyway. (Yes yes, Sarah, I know, finish the bloody thing.) I actually am a professional writer, some of you have even heard of me. I'm a journalist, which means over the last 20 years or so I've probably written as many words as most... Continue Reading →
On writer’s block and inspiration
It's Christmas Eve morning and the oven is cleaning. Soon, I'll be in the kitchen baking another couple of batches of cookies to deliver to neighbors and friends. This evening we'll have our annual holiday meal with friends/family. Tomorrow we'll open gifts and then collapse to try to recover. Pretty much what so many other... Continue Reading →
Building Blocks
So I’m stuck. I get stuck all the time, looking at this vast lego-block looming in front of me, making me feel like my mind is blank because all I can see is this blank wall in front of me. Sometimes, stepping back away from it a little helps, because I can suddenly see how... Continue Reading →
Writing Under Duress
No, I don't mean that anyone is forcing me to write. Frankly, my muse isn't even talking to me right now, although my Evil Muse has been trying to help. He's rather good at it, so I have flickers of productivity… Just not enough. Because the duress is outside life stuff interfering with my ability... Continue Reading →
Heinlein, Sturgeon and Writer’s Block
Last night I started trying to figure out what to write for today's blog. After a day of slogging through e-mail, reviewing recommendations from the editorial board regarding slush submissions and sending out the inevitable rejections -- and, thankfully, some contract offers -- and other work for Naked Reader Press, my brain decided to take... Continue Reading →