It was October 31 and the deadline for submitting my final draft to my publisher for No Eye Has Seen: Book 1 Beyond the Valley. During the previous week, I had psyched myself about finishing Book 1 and diving right into Book 2 by participating in National Novel Writing Month 2014. Last year, I signed up … Continue reading 5 Things I’ve Learned as a NaNo Noob
Category: Fiction Writing Process
Expendable to the World, but Never to God
About a week ago, I stood at my writing desk just before heading off to work and said this prayer… Lord Jesus, please help me to have more time and energy to write for Your glory. I just don’t understand why this calling to write can be so strong, yet I have nothing left to … Continue reading Expendable to the World, but Never to God
Humbling the Born Writer
The truly great stuff comes to life in those agonizing yet exhilarating moments when the artist is acutely aware of the limitations of his skills. For it is then that he strains the hardest to make the most he can from the imperfect materials and tools with which he must work... ~Dean Koontz About ten … Continue reading Humbling the Born Writer
Finding the Story by Finding the Reason
How my analysis of daily life helps me to discover plot and character traits. Lately, my own personality quirks have afflicted me. How can I be the practical, rational, and organized working woman/mother/friend/wife while also being the creative, expressive, unique writer? I have stewed for weeks about how I will ever find a rhythm between my … Continue reading Finding the Story by Finding the Reason
A Blend of History: A Walk Down Memory Lane in the Middle of Historical Research
I side-stepped my plans to write this weekend in order to complete a bit more historical research at The Foley and Searls historical libraries in Nevada City, California. I'm inserting 3 to 4 chapters in advance of my original start to Part 2 (I'm no "pantster" so I will be completing a detailed outline prior to … Continue reading A Blend of History: A Walk Down Memory Lane in the Middle of Historical Research
