A BLOG FOR READERS AND WRITERS
Voices in My Head
Aurora here. If you’ve not guessed from previous blog posts, I’m a bit of an introvert. I just cannot do the small talk thing at all. I want to run every time I hear someone make any kind of comment about the weather. Sometimes I don’t know what to discuss with people who are veryContinue reading “Voices in My Head”
We’re All Idiots
Marie here. When it comes to our own writing, yes, we are. Go ahead and deny it. Keep pretending you fart rainbows and poop candy. Denial is just one of the many things writers deal with when it comes to our craft. We either believe we suck worse than a kid trying to get thatContinue reading “We’re All Idiots”
Striving to Slay the Stress Dragons
Aurora here. Ah, summer, the time of heat, insects, and inevitable gatherings of people. The latter is an introvert’s nightmare. Amid the smoke of BBQs is the smoke coming out of relatives’ and friends’ ears as they engage in heated debate, their anger augmented by the cheap macro brews filling the coolers. I have horribleContinue reading “Striving to Slay the Stress Dragons”
Dialogue Tags
Marie here. When I was in school in the 90s, our English teachers were always forcing us to find an alternative to using dialogue tags or attribution. They claimed that “he said” and “she said” became boring and monotonous and they would take points away if we had it in our creative writing papers. WeContinue reading “Dialogue Tags”
No Worries, My Dears
Marie here. During this trying time, we hope that all our readers and writers are staying safe out there. You know the drill: wash your hands, avoid crowds, wear masks, and drink plenty of water. Many are still stuck at home without much to do. (Except us introverts. We’ve been doing this for years!) WeContinue reading “No Worries, My Dears”
Why Prologues are Important
Aurora here. I’ve recently heard some readers skip prologues, believing the information within is unimportant. My reaction can be summed up as: “How? Why? No, seriously. It makes no sense. It is part of the story. It isn’t an advertisement for an upcoming book. The author did not put it there for her health. IContinue reading “Why Prologues are Important”
The Plotters vs Pantsers Debate
Marie here. This is another topic that many writing groups love to discuss in length. I especially enjoy being a fly on the wall and sitting back to observe all the back-and-forth. Many are convinced that their way is the “right” way (Because, you know, people.) but there are also a few like myself whoContinue reading “The Plotters vs Pantsers Debate”
Stop with the “Strong Female Characters” Thing
Marie here. Whenever I read the phrase “strong female characters” I immediately imagine a huge, muscular woman wielding a battle axe or something equally threatening. I mean, is she a wrestler? A kickboxer? A soldier? Well, if your character is one of those things then this would be an accurate description. The thing is, people,Continue reading “Stop with the “Strong Female Characters” Thing”
Free-Flow Writing vs Edit as You Go
Marie here. I have often heard “successful” authors giving advice to novices that makes me cringe. One of those that kind of drives me up the wall is “Never edit as you go.” This is one of those things that falls into the whatever-works-for-you category. Some writers need to free-flow write. They need to sitContinue reading “Free-Flow Writing vs Edit as You Go”
CockyGate and Other Matters
Aurora here. By now, I’d venture most of the literary world has heard of CockyGate. In case you haven’t, the short version is that a certain romance author decided to trademark the word “cocky” in romance titles. If you want further information, check out #cockygate on Twitter. Many others have posted and compiled details. ThisContinue reading “CockyGate and Other Matters”
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