Books you have to write

Books you have to write

The peculiar thing about writing a book is that sometimes you don’t know where the idea for it came from. Other times you can trace it exactly to something you saw, heard, read, researched, etc. But whatever spawned the idea, something about it made you feel as if you...
Mother Goose and Show Don’t Tell

Mother Goose and Show Don’t Tell

Many books and blog posts have been written about “show don’t tell.” I’m not going to pontificate about it here. As most writers understand, there’s a place for both in a novel. What I want to talk about here is what that phrase actually...
I’m Open for Business as an Editor

I’m Open for Business as an Editor

Sometimes life pushes you onto a path you didn’t expect. Writing full time and hanging out a shingle as a freelance editor and ghostwriter isn’t what I thought I’d be doing at the moment. I thought that would be about six years off for me. But…...
Happy New Year to All!

Happy New Year to All!

A little late, but at least it’s still January! Why is it that turning the page on the calendar feels so significant? For me, a new year is an invitation to new beginnings. I suppose that’s obvious, but the symbolism of it is very powerful. It’s a...
How do you know when you’re finished?

How do you know when you’re finished?

How do you know when you’re finished? How do you know when it’s time to let go of your manuscript and send it out, either to beta readers or to your agent or to querying agents? Because let’s face it: every time you look at it you will find something you want to...