Lessons to Practice #18: Blogging and Networking

Happy Tuesday to you, fellow bloggers. May you all continue to have a good week with plenty of time for your writing! Networking and blogging are perhaps the most difficult peripheral aspects of becoming a writer. Speaking from my own experience, it's challenging to establish a consistent and concentrated blogging platform, one that amasses a … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #18: Blogging and Networking

Lessons to Practice #17: The Eloquence of Your Voice

Writing without using your own true voice is writing without merit, plain and simple. Even if you happen to luck out and pen stories that land you a multi-million-dollar deal, going back and reading "your" own work will feel inauthentic at best, and painful at worst. Still, I have to honor the fact that finding … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #17: The Eloquence of Your Voice

Lessons to Practice #14: Nailing True-to-Life Dialogue

Hello! Did you know that I recently became a member of the Denton Writers' Critique Group? I was fortunate enough to stumble across the group's website in late January, and I attended my first meeting that very same night. My writing craft has never been stronger or more fully supported than now, and I graciously … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #14: Nailing True-to-Life Dialogue

Lessons to Practice #13: Using Art, Music, and Pop Culture References in Your Writing

There are few things more powerful than the use of other artistic works to supplement our creative writing. When used sparingly and with careful consideration, things like song lyrics, art images, and pop culture references can help bring your story alive and imbue it with a more profound sense of humanity. However, the biggest obstacle to … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #13: Using Art, Music, and Pop Culture References in Your Writing

Lessons to Practice #11: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 2 of 2)

I have a super awesome announcement tonight: this past Monday, at around 11:41 AM, I completed my first draft of book 1 in my trilogy, The Virility Project! This is by far my largest and most thematically complex work of fiction to date, and one whose idea I first conceived waaay back in early 2009. After a couple … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #11: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 2 of 2)

Lessons to Practice #10: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 1 of 2)

Hello! I hope this blog post finds you well. I'd like to thank Akaluv, The Eye-Dancers, Meher, and thesarahdoughty for stopping by and liking one or several of my Lessons to Practice posts over the past few weeks. You all help me keep my motivation alive 🙂 Last week, I briefly explored the archetypal three-act … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #10: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 1 of 2)