These are strange and unprecedented times we’re living in. Today marks Week Two of my self-quarantine. Last week I worked remotely while recovering from a bad cold; this week my company is on furlough. I’ve been trying to avoid most social media to moderate my anxiety levels, but it’s hard to completely shut out Facebook … More Creativity in the Time of Quarantine
Behind the scenes of being a professional writer … More Behind the Screen
This past week I had the opportunity to visit The Morgan Library and Museum in NYC and view the Brontë exhibit titled “Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will” (after the famous line from Jane Eyre). It’s taken me a few days to process what it meant to me to be in the same room as some of … More What I learned from Charlotte Brontë’s independent will
This article was co-written by Sarah Parke and Elizabeth Beechwood. Some writing projects require a lot of research, particularly novels that incorporate mythology, historical research, or invented languages. If you’re working on a novel and finding yourself drowning in story details, you may want to create a Story Bible. A Story Bible collects all the … More Keep Your Story Straight with a Story Bible
Every November I get excited about participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I like the sense of energy (and urgency) that it creates, whether you’re participating in community write-ins at your local library or sitting at your kitchen table furiously trying to make word count before midnight each day. This year, I had a … More Feeling Drafty: R.M. Romero Talks “Pants-ing” Her Way Through NaNoWriMo
I’ve spent most of the day puttering around the apartment, cleaning off my desk, pulling out my favorite pens and writing craft texts. Generally, preparing myself for the next 30 days of frenzied writing abandon. I’m talking, of course, about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). A 30-day writing challenge where writers (both professional and amateur) … More Another November, Another Novel: NaNoWriMo 2015
NOTE: Last week I blogged about Dan Wells’ Seven-Point System and dissected some successful short stories to see how their structure worked. I’ll be referring to Wells’ system again this week, so I recommend reading last week’s post (HERE) so you know what I’m talking about. We know that the Seven-Point System works for short … More Plotting with the Seven-Point System
*May your pens be full of ink and your liquor cabinet full of tequila* ~Sarah Proverb This post is inspired by my wonderfully supportive husband who said “You should blog about that!” My husband recently completed his Master’s degree in a highly competitive field. We live in an area of the country where the market … More Moping and Margaritas
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