Regency romance, romantic mysteries, & writing tips too.
Several years ago, I used a bullet journal for my fiction but lost the habit. Here’s a post I wrote at the time, Bullet Journal Your Fiction: 3 Time-Saving Tips: it contains useful productivity tips. Since I’m struggling with a new novel, I wondered whether journaling could help. Firstly, I had to remind myself of … Read more
Several of our writers’ group members are attempting a freelance writing side hustle. They agreed that setting their fees and negotiating are their greatest challenges. Should they price similarly to other freelancers? Attempt to undercut them? Knowing how much to charge is confusing. You would rather not price yourself out of the market, but you … Read more
If you’re writing fiction and haven’t published your novel, it’s likely that you’re intimidated by your first draft. Relax. The story on the page may disappoint you, but consider that this is your chance to transform the mass of material into the ideal novel you’ve imagined. Revising and editing will change your muddle into a … Read more
When you’re writing fiction it’s often suggested that you write your first draft straight through without editing. Is this good advice? We’ve discussed this at writers’ group meetings, and I was reminded of those discussions today because I’m rewriting parts of a first draft and hoping that I don’t mess it up. A book journal … Read more
Are you writing a book? In a recent writers’ group meeting, we looked at common startup hassles that authors experience with a book-length project. “I start out great. Then I feel as if I have no idea what I’m doing, and I give up,” one author said. “I’ve got three novels I’ve started.” Several other … Read more
Do you struggle with writing fiction? In a writers’ group meeting, we chatted about a common struggle: managing your ideas, without being distracted by them. One writer said that she struggled with organizing sudden inspiration. Another said that his big challenge was developing ideas. He constantly second-guessed himself, deleting one or more scenes—he’d even delete … Read more