We all have one. The editor invisible to everyone but ourselves. The one who sits on your shoulder while you write or edit, whispering into your ear. The sweet-nothings are few and far between. This editor reminds you that you can’t write, that you have nothing to say, that no one will be interested in your fictional heroine, your opinion, your life story, the objective article you’re working on. As an aspect of yourself, you can’t banish this intrusive editor. … Read More »

Now that spring has arrived (for the most part), I thought it would be interesting, and hopefully of some help, to create an analogy between a story and a tree. I think it will work; I’m exploring as I write, so hang in there with me and we’ll see where this thing goes. Before any seed can take root and grow, it needs to be planted and receive sun, water, and warmth. These are your story ideas, what’s swirling around … Read More »

Ah! That great feeling when we discover a new passion is awesome. We launch ourselves into research mode. Some of us before we take up the doing of our new obsession, some of us after we’ve gotten a taste of it. Being in thrall with writing can be as much a hindrance as a help. How long have you been dabbling? Are you stuck in learning mode? If You Haven’t Started Writing Yet… …you might be stuck in learning mode. … Read More »

There are those who say it’s bad manners to take a bite of a chocolate candy and put it back in the box. I would respond by buying them their own box, because those partially eaten chocolates have a role to play when it comes to my writing. Sure, there might be a guide on the inside cover, but that takes the adventure and excitement away from what I might be sinking my teeth into. I try to ignore it. … Read More »

I admit it. I’m hooked on mysteries. It started when I was a kid—lying on the couch with my grandmother’s quilt pulled up to my chin—reading Nancy Drew stories. Not much has changed over the years. Like every Agatha Christie junkie, I love deciphering a whodunit, especially mysteries I watch on the MHz network. Reader alert: if you don’t like following sub-titles in most of the shows, skip this channel. One of my favorite MHz series is Edderkoppen, Danish for … Read More »

It’s easy to hope that your beloved book will get five out of five stars from everyone who reads it. A rating of less than five stars can feel like a bit of an emotional blow, but it’s not all bad. Browsers on Amazon and elsewhere may be suspicious of books that have all five star reviews. They assume it’s mostly the writer’s friends and relatives or paid reviewers. Thus, a four-star review is terrific because it lends authenticity to … Read More »