It's always thrilling for me to see someone finish a writing project, particularly when I've been on the journey with them, from within the trenches of our writing community. We cheer each other on,...
Finish your novel at any age
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Blog
Sci-Fi Circuit: The Magic of World Building
What does it take to make a sci-fi world real? As a science fiction fan, I love to be transported into new and fantastical worlds. As a sci-fi screenwriter, I’m fascinated...
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Creating amid chaos
Can we write when we're surrounded by clutter? Craving the relief from chaos For a sensitive person, clutter is an energy drain because it's overstimulating (one of the biggest challenges for a...
If this was your wake up call, what would it be?
Seems like every time I turn around, someone I know is going through something big: ... Friends with cancer. ... My father facing health challenges. ... A neighbor's house catching on fire. ... My...
Unplugged.
Last weekend I experimented with something lovely: Unplugging. It was precipitated by a comment from one of my Called to Write community members about wanting to feel truly relaxed. I was reminded...
Fighting writing resistance
One of the greatest bugaboos of writers (and creatives of all sorts) is resistance. Ah, resistance. Resistance is that unseen force that repels us from writing (or eating our vegetables or doing...
Sci-Fi Circuit: What Makes It Sci-Fi?
What makes a story science fiction? I was indoctrinated into the world of sci-fi by my father at the tender age of nine, when he handed me my first sci-fi book, The City and the Stars...
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The trap we all fall into
I spoke with a sister writer yesterday and we talked about the many, many challenges we face when it comes to completing projects, let alone getting them out there into the world. As moms and...
Learning from endings
I've finished the rewrite of my script. And I've learned so much about endings as I've approached this one. It's a different scenario from the usual drill of having a forced, external deadline. This...
Write first thing in the morning? Are you crazy?
Back in November 2011, I wrote a post about why I've been getting up at 6 a.m. to write. It's something I often encourage writers to try, especially those that are struggling with resistance and /...
When are you a writer?
Writers often come to me saying that they haven't bought in to the notion of being a writer "yet." If you're feeling that way, the reasons can run the gamut. It can come up when you aren't writing...
Take action on what you know
As creatives, one of the skills we have to master is finding our way to the finish line, even when it feels like muddling our way through the dark. Sometimes we know where we want to go, but we...