Monthly Archives: March 2016
Seamless Self-Editing––Part VII
Posted on March 30, 2016 Leave a Comment
This week, we’re continuing our look at self-editing with tips from Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Browne and King. We’re going to look at Proportion and Dialogue Mechanics, two chapters from this resource. Because our space is limited, I’ll only summarize a few points from each chapter. Editing our work ourselves will improve our chances […]
Tag – You’re It
Posted on March 29, 2016 2 Comments
I haven’t done one of these for well over a year, so I don’t mind these tags. They’re kind of fun, and I hope you learn something more about me than you did before. The Rules: 1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog and Twitter in your post. 2. Answer […]
Moving to One Regular Post a Week
Posted on March 29, 2016 Leave a Comment
I’ve always been taught that when something becomes a drag, that either the grace has lifted or your attitude needs changing. In the fall of 2014, when others were doing NaNoWriMo, I took a sort of challenge to do two blog posts a week on a regular basis, one of an encouraging nature, one of […]
Seamless Self-Editing––Part VI
Posted on March 23, 2016 Leave a Comment
For the next couple weeks, I’ll be referring back to a resource I used a year or so ago, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. A few months ago, I met Robert Whitlow, a successful suspense author, who said this book taught him how to write. He was a prosperous attorney in the South, as well. Some […]
Encourage Yourself––Part II
Posted on March 22, 2016 1 Comment
The western culture, like the ancient Greeks, worships body and soul. By that I mean that we of the western world, have elevated the sleek, svelte body and the “positive thinking” mindset above all else. There’s nothing inherently wrong with positive thinking, which is basically letting go of negative mindsets, but if you don’t worship […]
Seamless Self-Editing––Part V
Posted on March 16, 2016 1 Comment
Writers write because we love to use words, but let’s face it––even though we say we write for ourselves, we all want to be published and have many others read what we’ve written, for the mutual benefit of ourselves and our readers. That’s why self-editing is important. We must do everything we can to get […]
Encourage Yourself––When No One’s Around
Posted on March 15, 2016 Leave a Comment
It’s 2:00 a.m. and you’re feeling as if the world is crashing around you. You feel it is, but it’s not. What do you do? Call and get a friend out of bed? If you’re a considerate friend, you won’t. More than positive thinking, encouraging yourself when no one is around can sometimes be a […]
Seamless Self-Editing––Part IV
Posted on March 9, 2016 Leave a Comment
Getting published traditionally is difficult. Publishers look for ways to disqualify submissions. Small publishers are more likely to accept a manuscript from a previously unpublished author, yet they are the ones who require “publish-ready” submissions. Possibly because their small staff doesn’t have time to edit a novel––or they only accept from the best of the […]
Don’t Wait! Have FUN now!
Posted on March 8, 2016 2 Comments
In a week and a half, I’m going to do something incredibly fun. I’m taking a step, planning for fun, and enjoying my life. What am I going to do? Click to Tweet Am I walking in the park? Will I go to my favorite restaurant? While these are all fun things to do, I’m […]
I’m Not Afraid of the 7/7/7 Challenge
Posted on March 4, 2016 Leave a Comment
Writing friend, Kelly Barr, tagged me for this fun 7/7/7 challenge. I hope you’ll think it’s fun, too. #amwriting #777challenge
Donna L.H. Smith 