WRITER CRAFT WEDNESDAY – Rough Draft Checklist

1 – SCENE CHECK – Make sure every chapter or new scene is adequately described. This includes rich description for the first introduction (300-500 words for novels) and a reminder description for subsequent visits. 2 – CHARACTER CHECK – When each character was introduced for the first time from another…

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Mondays In Publishing – Genre

GENRE It’s a scary word for some people. I’ve met people who will argue genre until they are blue in the face. I have met people who think genre is a form of gate-keeping. I have met people who think genre is a waste of time. I have never met…

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Mondays In Publishing – Seasons In Publishing

Meteorological Winter begins December 1st for the northern hemisphere (as opposed to astronomical winter that begins with the winter solstice). Just like the sky and weather Publishing has its own seasons. Seasons of feast and famine. Seasons to query and seasons to edit. Seasons to publish and seasons to sit…

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Necromancers, Editors, and CHANGE OF MOMENTUM

Originally, CHANGE OF MOMENTUM was going to release in late 2018 or early 2019. That deadline flew by when I realized I was at 90,000 words and nowhere near the end of the story. I sat down with my editor and we realized the problem was the couple. Rowena Lee…

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Why Don’t We Quit?

“Why are we doing this?” My crit partner looked back from the computer screen. She’s on spring holiday in Australia and we were Skyping to discuss plots, goals, and problems. “I dunno,” I said, which was eloquent for that time of night. Being best friends with someone on the other…

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How To Write A Query Letter

QUERY(n) – the letter a hopeful author sends to an agent or editor with the express wish of getting the manuscript off their desk and onto someone else’s publication schedule.   The query is an essential part of the publication process even for Indie Authors, it’s also one of the…

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Serious Vs Silly

Winter is coming. Not the good-fun winter with Jon Snow saving the day and Sansa coming home to Winterfell. No, the real winter is coming, with familial obligations, cold weather, and seasonal depression. Some people have claustrophobia and hate the feeling of the walls closing in around them. Cold weather…

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