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
Writing with Quiet Hands
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 #4: The Crux that is Theme
Welcome back readers and fellow bloggers! I'm excited to bring another important topic to the table as part of my Lessons to Practice series: Theme. There. I said it. The word that, for so many of us, has been a source of interminable torment and head bashing. My thinking, however, is that theme can be … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #4: The Crux that is Theme
Lessons to Practice #3: Developing Strong Characters
Hello again! How was everyone's weekend? I thank you all for your patience and understanding in waiting for my next blog post. I spent Thursday through Sunday at a winter training camp put on by my very own triathlon coaches here in town. It was a great test of my mental and physical fortitude, and … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #3: Developing Strong Characters
Lessons to Practice #2: Joining a Writers’ Group
Happy Tuesday, Valentine's Day, and Taco Tuesday! Here in North Texas, we just had a pretty gnarly storm roll in last night; it's been raining almost nonstop since late last night. It didn't stop me from going to my volunteer job for a few hours today, though. In learning my own writing lessons, I started to … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #2: Joining a Writers’ Group
Lessons to Practice #1: Writing Consistently and with Purpose
Good evening folks! How is everyone doing? Tonight I would like to start a new blogging series called "Lessons to Practice." In each Tuesday night post of this series, I will summarize what I'm learning as I spend 2017 editing, rewriting, and refining my works. Each "Lessons to Practice" installment will also include a brief summary of … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #1: Writing Consistently and with Purpose