We hear a lot about building habits. If you are a writer, figuring out how to make time for your writing amidst the demands of life, including supporting yourself and maybe your family, too, can be daunting. My suggestion? Start small. Habits start with goals and repetition. A behavior becomes a habit through repeating itContinue reading “Building a Writing Habit”
Category Archives: Readerly on Writing
What I’ve Learned Working as an Acquisitions Editor…
In the past year, I have begun working as an editor for a small press, History Through Fiction. I love working with Colin and the crew, because they support writers and work hard to get quality historical fiction published through both a traditional and a hybrid press. I have learned a lot through my workContinue reading “What I’ve Learned Working as an Acquisitions Editor…”
What Thrills You?
On a recent flight to Vienna, I noticed something about myself. I love that moment when you are on the runway and just about to take off. It’s the beginning of the adventure. I feel a lightness married to a sense of anticipation for what is to come. The thing I have been dreaming ofContinue reading “What Thrills You?”
What I learned at summer camp…
As you may know if you’ve been with me a while, my husband and I work part time with a New Testament church in Tallinn, Estonia. Every summer we go to camp with the church to help out teaching lessons, playing with the kids, doing whatever needs doing at summer camp. This year, camp wasContinue reading “What I learned at summer camp…”
New Podcast Episode: Wallop Your What If
This is a summer binus episode, part of a webinar recording from earlier this year. Terry and I will be back discussing more books and first pages in September.
The Power of Subtraction
Why is it that when we brainstorm about solutions, we mostly think about ways to add? Why when I read the comments on the recipes in the Cooking section of the NY TImes, do they always tell about all the stuff they added to make it better? Why do writers sometimes think that more surprises,Continue reading “The Power of Subtraction”
What to do with the stuff you cut out of your novel…
The following is a guest post by a Readerly Writer. As you can see at the end, her pub date is coming up. Huzzah! She writes about one way to use some of the material you cut from a novel. She has created a bonus prequel for her readers that she is using to buildContinue reading “What to do with the stuff you cut out of your novel…”
Are You Lost in the Forest?
Sometimes, writing a draft is like getting lost in the forest. On a recent weekend in the country with our church in Tallinn, Estonia, I decided to take a short walk on the trails before breakfast. Like the boat ride to Gilligan’s Island, it turned out to be a little longer than I thought. TheContinue reading “Are You Lost in the Forest?”
Guest Post—Busting Writing Retreat Myths
Today’s guest post is by Lisa Shaughnessy, a Readerly Writer who runs her own writer support business to help writers find great writing retreats. Busting Writing Retreat Myths Have you been thinking of attending a writing retreat but feeling a bit skeptical? You’re not alone. In this post, I’ll dive into the three most commonContinue reading “Guest Post—Busting Writing Retreat Myths”
Is backstory the sludge in your novel?
If you hang out on Psychology podcasts or read psychology, you may have heard of a term called sludge. It is related to the concept of “nudging,” which is the idea that entities (governments, businesses, schools…) can help people make better choices by making choosing the better option easier. Or, just make choices easier byContinue reading “Is backstory the sludge in your novel?”