Category: How To and Tips
A TURING TEST FOR FICTION By Katherine Forbes Riley
When can a man write as a woman? A woman of another culture? A brutally raped woman? When is this acceptable and when does it fail a test society hasn’t explicitly defined, but we still see administered? Moreover, the test itself also changes, for we can all name certain memorable books that passed with flying […]
Yes, My Female Characters Have Sex
Yes, my female characters have sex.* *Good sex. And I no longer care if that bothers some people. By Amy Mason Doan My novel SUMMER HOURS was five months from publication when the “S word” first came up. It was on GoodReads, where an advance reader had put the book on a list: “Character You […]
What A Time To Be Alive
‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.’ So begins The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley, one of my very favourite novels. Although the book is set in the swooning heat of high summer, it’s a line that always gives me goosebumps, and renews my frustration that time machines haven’t yet been invented […]
The Trick to Getting Published
By Ruby Speechley Disclaimer: There is no trick, no magic formula. But there’s always a way. Early influences At three years old, before I could even read, my parents bought me a stack of hardback books by Enid Blyton. The brightly coloured characters on the covers were so enticing! I can still recall my deep […]
Essential Writing and Editing Tips By Sheila O’Flanagan
Whenever I’m asked for my number one tip on writing, my response is always the same. Sit down in front of your computer, open whatever WP program you want to use, and start. This may sound glaringly obvious, but the truth is that until you have words on a page in front of you, there […]
Philosophy And Writing
Art is one of the most important game changers and is a reflection of our creativity in human life. In my own life, Salvador Dali is the artist who made me wonder more about ourselves and the World we live in. The first time I saw his paintings, I was so young. I can still […]
Writing the “S Word”: Navigating Sex In Your Story
“I read your book. … After I read the sex scene, I had to go to confession.” That is what one of my college friends told me when he called our house to talk to my husband. Part of me was extremely happy about that, and part of me paused, realizing that friends and family […]
Five Weeks To Book Launch And How My Writing Practice Keeps Me Grounded
I am a woman with many morning practices, from skin care to yoga and meditation to blending a perfected breakfast smoothie, from walking my dog to writing long hand in my journal. Needless to say, I need to rise and shine pretty early in order to squeeze in these beloved rituals. Very often, I laugh […]
Why Working Out Is Imperative For Writers And Their Writing
When we talk about writers and the creative life, we rarely talk about their wellness. If anything, brokenness, misery, pain, and being broke are often romanticized. We associate chai and wine with writing, which is all fun! But I wish we had more proactive conversations around writers’ physical and mental health. I want to see […]
When Your Brain is the Enemy: Life as a Writer with ADHD
Writing and publishing a novel is an accomplishment few achieve, and those who do know how much work it is to make it to ‘the end.’ Countless hours of inspiration, plotting, writing, editing, re-editing, pulling one’s hair out, self-doubt, critique, and finally—finally—something ready to send out into the world. Now imagine doing all that when […]
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