A writer's journey...

While we may not ask the question in so many words, it’s calculated in the background of our mind every time we choose a book to read. We have expectations about the storyline and how it will make us feel. If it’s a non-fiction book we want to come away having learned something. If it’s fiction we want to escape reality for a bit and take up with imaginary characters. We want to get lost in a world that’s not ours. Really, then, we are not buying books, we are buying outcomes . Focusing on the fictional aspect, we likely decide on a police procedural novel to enter the world of crime scene investigation. We want to be a part of the investigation, solving the case alongside the characters. We want to be thrown off by red herrings, be side-swiped by the twists and turns, and by the end we expect that the murderer face justice. We don’t just want the novel coming at us. We want to think as we read and anticipate what might be coming next. We want to solve the case before our be...

Love your book come edit time Most authors don't ever want to see "their baby" again by the time it's published. They've read it, revised it, and rewritten parts it more times than they care to count. What if I told you the process could be a little easier?  Why not take a proactive approach? Here are 5 steps to make editing easier from the first draft: 1) Research before you write your book. This can be forensics, procedure, weapons--basically anything that pertains to your story. 2) Outline. Now if you're more of a panster you might balk at this, but at this point, I see value in at least setting out with a rough outline. If you don't want to do this from the start, as the story gets going, jot out future scenes. The benefit to this is logical progression. I have learned this lesson the hard way and it resulted in more intensive edits and rewrites. 3) Write when you're alert and sober. Writing is a business. Would you ever show u...

You’ve finished your first draft and now it’s time to really get to work. The “play” time of creating a story and following along with your characters has ended—or has it? Like everything else, editing is about mindset. Do you look at it as a dredging task or do you focus on the shining gem your manuscript will be when you finish? Do you get weighed down analyzing word play (sentence structure, for example) or do you realize how you’re sharpening your manuscript? See, there are two ways of looking at a situation. If you view editing as a tedious necessity, it’s pretty safe to surmise that you don’t enjoy the process. Unfortunately, this is going to reflect in the end product. You’ll take shortcuts. You’ll declare something as finished just because you don’t want to look at it again. But what if you were to think about the end result instead of the process to get there? What if you accepted editing as a necessary step in making your book marketable, in getting it into the ...

Every writer dreams of the day they are able to leave the day job and pursue their passion full-time. Few make it happen. I’m here to share with my readers and the followers of this blog that I did it! I am now a full-time author! I share this not to brag, but to inspire, to let you know that you can do it too.  Now, I’m a huge believer in affirmations and the Law of Attraction and I want to share my story with you. Warning, though, if you’re not yet a believer, you might be after you read my story. Here it is. At the end of last year, my sister, Sherry and her husband were down for a visit. She has taught me a lot and has introduced me to many great teachers of our time. One of them is Jack Canfield. Anyway, back on point. We watched a video they had brought with Jack Canfield. In it he emphasized how we are capable of anything.  We are, in fact, limitless.  He even demonstrated this by having us do a physical exercise. It had me blurting out an explet...

As recently shared on my Facebook Author Page , the reason I write is two-fold. One, not only  is it my passion, but to know that I can touch people with my words, that I can provide a temporary escape, either from stress or pain, that touches me on an immense spiritual level that nothing else can even come close to. Thank you for choosing me and letting me into your world. Send to Kindle

The word focus harnesses unlimited potential. Its execution is so powerful that kings have forged empires, masterpieces were created and legacies were left for the next generation.  This five-letter word has changed the course of history and continues to. The best part is that each of us have the ability to utilize its influence in, and over, our life. These days establishing clear focus can prove a real challenge. Obligations come at us from every angle that we become inundated and feel overwhelmed. In addition to the necessities of life, we have our passions and desires. How can we fit everything in? Again, focus comes into play. If we make a workable schedule, this allows us to stay focused on what needs to be done. For example, as an author, if we lay out a release schedule at the start of the year, we can break this down into small increments of time and know what we have to do, and when, in order to reach our targets. A good question is, how do we make a ...

How to write solid characters has been a regular topic on my blog. Really, providing realistic characters is the key to hooking readers. Yes, of course, you need an intriguing plot, ideal pacing, and so on, but at the root of every book is its characters. Ernest Hemingway said, "We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."  Are your characters real enough to pinch? Well, more recently I've discovered another means of creating characters my readers can pinch. The suggestion actually came from Katie Jennings—thank you, Katie! She’s uses this method. In fact, when I started looking at things this way, I realized I had already incorporated it into my characters without even knowing it. Still, it’s provided a means to ensure that my characters always stay true to who they are and it enables me to sharpen them. Using this method makes it possible to know how they are going to react in situations. It can tell you roughly what your c...