Historical Fiction: Research Tips

Alyssaa. Character Creation, Book Therapist, Brainstorming Strategies and Tips, Encourage Me!, How to write a Romance, Peter Leavell, Peter Leavell, Planning, Research, Writing

by Peter Leavell, @PeterLeavell Research is a kingly or queenly quest. You’re the hero in a foggy hallway filled with doors. You open one at a time to see what secrets are hidden. Eventually, you discover a golden crown. Yet, as you pick up the crown and set it on your head, you notice a new hallway with more doors …

The Best Time of Day to Write

AlyssaEncourage Me!, How do I get started?, Michelle Griep, Nurturing Creativity, Nurturing the Soul, Writer's life, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

By Michelle Griep, @MichelleGriep Some authors swear by writing before the sun is up. Others are nocturnal. And lots don’t have a choice, squeaking in words whenever a spare minute flares up. Which begs the question: is a certain time of day better than others to write? Short answer: Yep. Long answer: The best time to get your word count …

Just in Case you Need a Smile Today

AlyssaBrainstorming Strategies and Tips, Encourage Me!, James L. Rubart, Loosen Up!, Nurturing Creativity, Nurturing the Soul, Writing Life

by James L. Rubart, @jameslrubart Since there’s a bit of chaos and anger in the world these days, I thought it might be high time to inject a bit of humor into your day with a classic video.  If you’ve been in this industry for more than ten minutes, you’ve probably had, or heard about, the type of conversation played …

Are You Willing to Declutter Your Fears to Achieve Your Dreams?

AlyssaEncourage Me!, Lisa Jordan, Nurturing Creativity, Nurturing the Soul, Writing Life

by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan I told my husband once I submitted my latest book to my editor on August 31st, then I would make time in my very busy schedule to declutter our basement. Now this is a project and a half, friends. With over thirty years of marriage, and twenty-four of them have been spent in our current home, …

Seven Rules to Get the Feedback You Need

Alyssacritiquing, David Rawlings, Encourage Me!, Research, Rewriting, Writing, Writing Life

by David Rawlings, @DavidJRawlings Writers are a fragile lot, aren’t we? We beaver away in our imaginary worlds, creating and inhabiting spaces with characters of our own creation. And when we emerge, it can sometimes be daunting to work out if what we’ve created it worth reading.  We’re artists – even if you’re trying to make a living from writing, you’re an …

Impact: What Is Greatness Really?

AlyssaEncourage Me!, Jeanne Takenaka, Life Coaching, Writer's life, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

by Jeanne Takenaka, @JeanneTakenaka I’ve lost track of how many times, in my heart of hearts, I’ve yearned to make a difference in our world. As a teen, I was sure I had big things ahead of me. I just needed to discover them and do them.  Now, decades later, there are still times when I wish I could make an impact …

Filling Your Well with Fall Reading

AlyssaEncourage Me!, Katherine Reay, Life Coaching, Nurturing Creativity, Reading, Writer's life, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

by Katherine Reay, @Katherine_Reay After finishing a manuscript, I feel dry. All my creativity has been spent and I’m a little tired. We all have times in which we need to recharge and that moment is always mine. I believe writers need to be voracious readers. We need to be inundated with stories. But in the last days of writing something new, …

Back to Virtual School: 5 Tips For Productive Writing During This New Season

AlyssaEncourage Me!, Heidi McCahan, NaNoWriMo Skills, Nurturing Creativity, Nurturing the Soul, Procrastination, Writer's life, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

by Heidi McCahan, @HeidiMcCahan The new school year has arrived and even if you don’t have children, you’re probably still aware of this milestone event that marks the end of summer and the unofficial beginning of fall. As my own children are adjusting and adapting to the changing landscape of a school year that’s beginning online, I’ve realized now is the …

The Art of Dreaming and Writing

AlyssaBrainstorming Strategies and Tips, Encourage Me!, Kariss Lynch, Nurturing Creativity, Planning, Plotting, Story Crafting, Writing

by Kariss Lynch, @Kariss_Lynch What does it mean to dream with God? As writers, we are innately dreamers and creators, proof that we are created in the image of a Master Creator. I love that one way I connect with God is by practicing the gift He has given me. Doesn’t it make sense then that His number one adversary …

My Favorite Writing Rule (That I Made Up)

AlyssaAngela Ruth Strong, Encourage Me!, Nurturing Creativity, Story Crafting, Writer's life, Writing

by Angela Ruth Strong, @AngelaRStrong Blake Snyder made up some fun writing rules that he teaches in his book Save the Cat. Save the Cat is actually his most famous rule. It says you must make your characters likable by having them do something heroic in the beginning…like saving a cat.   I appreciate these kinds of rules because they don’t …

The Fear Trap

AlyssaAndrea Christenson, Encourage Me!, From the Inside...Out, Life Coaching, Nurturing Creativity, Nurturing the Soul, Writer's life, Writing, Writing Life, Writing Life Coaching

by Andrea Christenson, @andrea143 As writers we often joke about finding ourselves doing anything to avoid writing. We do the laundry, clean out the fridge, scrub at the grout in the bathroom with an old toothbrush. Anything!  Lately, I’ve been finding myself in the trap more and more often. “Just wash the dishes, then you can get a page of writing …