Wild Magic. Wild Stories. Wild Souls.
Today, author and “recovering lawyer” Diane Capri is joining me on the blog to offer some advice for writers considering going it without an agent. Much as I would love to think that it’s all cotton candy and roses out there, the writing biz, like any industry, does not work that way. Contracts are complex […]
Read MoreAs I’ve said before on my blog, I am totally a summer child. Lounging by the pool, going to the beach, picnics, walks in the park, that’s definitely my scene. And winter in the mountains, even as far south as Virginia, can be pretty damn chilly. Winter—not so much. But fall holds a special place […]
Read MoreAmong advice frequently bestowed upon writers is avoiding the adverb trap. Adverbs are those lovely little words—often ending in –ly—that modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They don’t always end in –ly, of course. That’s a very pretty sweater; really, it’s just too cute. But –ly adverbs are especially tricky because they’re easy to […]
Read More“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” –Henry David Thoreau Thoreau ranks high on my list of inspirational people. His writings on anything from civil disobedience to simplicity to living close to nature always stir something in me. I am and always have been a nature freak. I believe […]
Read MoreA lot of what I’ve learned as a writer has helped me in my life outside of writing. It’s not just that writing and effective communication skills are valuable assets (which they are!), but that the trials and tribulations of building a writing career make us stronger, if only we’re willing to learn from them. […]
Read MoreAn alternate title for this post was: Dealing with Zoe. See, I love Zoe, the female lead in Made of Shadows. She’s intense, passionate, fiery, compassionate, and maybe a little nuts. Okay, a little might be understating. Zoe is a woman on the edge. The martial arts skills and motorcycle don’t help. So when editing […]
Read MoreSo, as I dot the i’s and cross the t’s on my syllabus for the fall semester, I realize that I’m entering a time when my writing hours will be in short supply. And since a few golden leaves are starting to tumble to the ground, and my mums are offering up their yellow blooms, […]
Read MoreSo I just read this post by contemporary romance writer Jeannie Moon, which, of course, made me feel all twitchy. Why, tell me why, are people always knocking romance novels? Tell me how a romance novel is “not a real book.” What makes a “real” book? Plot, character, description, tone? Because romance novels have all […]
Read MoreJust as an FYI to writers, the Crit Partner Match site will be closing its doors on Aug. 15. Site creator Kait Nolan posted on the site: I do hope some of you found it useful and that you DID locate a crit partner in all of this. For those of you still looking, I […]
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Denise D. Young 