Regency romance, romantic mysteries, & writing tips too.
You want to write short fiction, and you have a vital question—how many words do I need? This topic came up in a recent writers’ group meeting. We all had questions about this because when you write fiction, deciding on length before you start writing is vital: your structure depends on it. Before I began … Read more
Creating a satisfying story is a big challenge when you’re writing fiction. In a recent writers’ group meeting, we discussed reader satisfaction. “I love thrillers and adventure stories,” one author said, “but everything I’ve read lately is all about the plot. The characters are either TSTL (too stupid to live) or are a bunch of … Read more
If you’re a new author, developing a self-publishing business is a challenge. Not only do you need to be creative, but you’re also faced with learning new things every day. In a recent writers’ group meeting, we welcomed a new member. “He’s just about ready to give up,” the member who’d brought him along explained. … Read more
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
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
Want to write fiction? When a friend asked me how she could get started with fiction, I was glad I’d kept some notes from a writers’ group meeting a couple of years ago. I passed the notes on to her. Is there a specific requirement for fiction authors that’s essential? Our group agreed that it’s … Read more