Category: Writing

To Outline or Not to Outline, Part 2

For part 1 of my outlining debate, I looked at my process and how it has evolved during the writing of my novels. For the rest of this week, my guests will be discussing the same thing from their perspectives. And do I have some awesome guests. Coming later in the week are Nikki Loftin,…
Read more

To Outline Or Not to Outline, Part 1

As I just started writing my next novel, I’ve been thinking about my process. There’s a divide between those writers who swear that the best way is to outline every plot point and other writers who prefer to be more loosey goosey, thinking outlining will curb their creativity. There’s no correct way, other than what…
Read more

Story first

There’s a consensus that young readers will read books depicting the life of a protagonist who’s older than them. “Reading up,” so to speak. And, generally, that’s true. So, what do you do if your story is more powerful with a protagonist that’s more middle grade but the voice and style of the book will…
Read more

Book Review: Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies

The newest book in the For Dummies line is dedicated to writing young adult fiction, and true to the series’ tag line, it does make “everything easier.” Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies is written by Deborah Halverson, who knows a lot about the subject. She worked as an editor for Harcourt for 10 years…
Read more

Benefits of critique groups

My friend and fellow blogger Donna Janell Bowman last week ran a series of posts about the benefits of critique groups and how to make the most of them. For her posts, Donna interviewed a bunch of writers inlcuding yours truly! (Yes, that’s me.) Among the questions we answered were: What are the biggest challenges of…
Read more

Fear and keeping your head

My husband and I were talking about fear the other day and he mentioned the saying that’s painted over the player’s entrance to centre court at Wimbledon: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…” It’s a small section of poet Rudyard Kipling‘s poem If, and it…
Read more

Beautiful first paragraph: Myra McEntire’s Hourglass

I had a blast volunteering for my local Austin SCBWI chapter a few weeks ago at the Texas Library Association. It was my first time at the conference, and the rumors of all the free advanced reading copies of upcoming books were not exaggerated. I saw people walking out with big bags full of books.…
Read more

Patience, perseverance and a whole lotta reading

Saturday was the monthly meeting of the great Austin chapter of the SCBWI at the awesome independent bookstore BookPeople, and all who attended got a healthy dose of inspiration. The speaker was author Jessica Lee Anderson, who taught about dealing with the ups and downs of publishing through songs — and yep, she even sang.…
Read more

The writer’s journey is the best part

My husband and I watched the movie Peaceful Warrior last night — based on the book by Dan Millman, whose life is supposedly the basis for the book and movie — and I found myself nodding and smiling a lot. Not that I’m half as wise as the movie’s Nick Nolte character, but I understand…
Read more

Fun writing news

Lots of fun publishing news out the last couple days, so I thought I’d compile it for you: Thomas Nelson has launched its science-fiction fantasy Chaos series for young adults with Invasion by Jon S. Lewis. Here’s the jacket cover: When sixteen-year-old Colt McAllister’s parents are killed in a car crash, he learns it was…
Read more