Help to get past writer’s block For this “Ask the Editor” post, we have the eternal question about writer’s block. Actually, several of you asked about this one, and it’s no surprise. Some define writer’s block as the inability to think of what to write. I don’t think that’s what it really is, and I […]
Hone your craft cliché
You will hear the “hone your craft” cliché many, many times as a writer, but not from me. I have heard that phrase so often that it makes whatever I recently ate want to exchange its one-way ticket for a round-trip ticket. UGH! You will probably never hear or see me use that phrase, because […]
Get ideas for writing—25 sources
Get ideas for writing Another reader question: “Where can I get ideas for writing?” Anywhere and everywhere. That’s the short answer. The long answer is… Anywhere and everywhere: the nightly news stories books you read songs you hear idiosyncracies of people you know watching people in the mall sermons or homilies newspaper headlines shopping trips […]
Your favorite font might not be approved for commercial use
This might come as a surprise, but not all fonts are approved for commercial use. This means that when you’re creating products of any kind (books, newsletters, ezines, graphic tees, coffee mugs), you might not be able to use that type style you love so much. Fonts are intellectual property; they are software, and the […]
A secret stash of electronic libraries
I’ve been compiling homeschool resources for you, and while I was doing that, I came across a link to a state electronic library. Sites like that can be full of great information, including things that can be hard to find elsewhere. For the public sites, it’s right there and available to the public. If people […]
Words of encouragement for you, right now
You have a home to manage, and children, and maybe a spouse, and possibly some money-making ventures… You’re tired, and you may even be hurting physically. Brain fog sets in…how are you supposed to write anything?! That’s what this whole blog is about: how you can write, with all the other things you have on your plate. How to find the motivation and the energy, carve out little bits of time and space, come up with ideas, how to shape up the mess you see on your screen (or in your notebook), how to find a place for your writing in the world.
Do you turn readers off with repetitive words and phrases in your writing?
Some writers think they need to use fancy words, pull out the thesaurus and find something obscure, but most editors don’t like that. Use normal words, just not the same ones every time. If you say “ran” every time you indicate quick ambulatory movement, you might try “jogged,” “loped,” or “trotted” a few times in the book. If everything is blue, you might make something in your book red, unless a blue universe is important to your story. Highlighting the places where you wear out a phrase can help you see just how often you use it, and learning this about yourself will help you be a better writer.
How you can work from home with kids
How to work from home with kids How can you get your kids to leave you alone so you can write, think, and get work done? I hear it all the time from moms who want to work from home with kids: “My children demand my attention constantly. How do I get anything done?!” Anyone […]
Do you have impostor syndrome?
Maybe you’ve had the “Who am I to be doing this?” kinds of thoughts. Maybe your confidence is in the basement and can’t find the elevator. Whenever you have one of those “impostor moments,” just take a deep breath, remind yourself of what people have said about you and your abilities, or take a look at your accomplishments, and write a few more sentences.
Your emotional journey
When you write your book, you’re going to be nervous, excited, and scared half out of your mind. During the months after your manuscript is done and ready to go (and for a lot of writers, even before it’s done), at every step of the way, you could feel a mix of things: happy, afraid, nervous, defensive, proud, sensitive, bulletproof— though that one doesn’t usually last long, it’s straight back to “Will people LIKE it?” It’s important to know that all of this is normal, and you will get through it.