I’m making the mistakes so you don’t have to!

Every writer has a story, and every story has to start at the beginning. With so many things to consider as a Newbie: structure, craft, publishing, and marketing (just to name a few), I’m here to give you insights, encouragement, and resources to help your writing journey, while also giving you a glimmer of mine!

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Latest Posts…

How to use Sanderson’s Laws of Magic to Build a Better (fantasy) Story

The Horrors of Vanity Publishing – With Guest Author Shelly Connor

11 Most Common World-Building Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Books of 2022: Ratings & Rankings
Wow. 2022 was BOOKED for me. I had a goal of 50 books and exceeded that by 10 for my grand total of 60 books read. Today, I present you with my rankings and ratings of all 60 books. Please keep in mind that this is all a matter of preference and my personal opinion.Continue reading “Books of 2022: Ratings & Rankings”
15 Holiday Tropes + More
I, personally, am trash for tropes and believe they make the world of fiction go ’round. But love ’em or hate ’em, there’s something about holiday tropes that hit a little extra. This article is dubbed “holiday” as it centers on the tropes we often see in rom-coms around the winter holidays. But I willContinue reading “15 Holiday Tropes + More”
When A Plotter Goes Pantsing
How Your Writing Style Can Impact Your Writing No, I did not spend November running amuck around my peers pulling down their pants. However, I did spend this past NaNoWriMo doing something that might have been just as uncomfortable. I wrote a story by discovery writing. I have always self-declared my writing style as aContinue reading “When A Plotter Goes Pantsing”
How to use Sanderson’s Laws of Magic to Build a Better (fantasy) Story
Coincidentally, this is not in reference to the Hocus Pocus Sanderson Sisters, but instead is a system of three laws developed by fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson. I first heard of the Sanderson Laws of Magic while listening to the Writing Excuses podcast (which is a podcast I recommend to newbies and seasoned writers alike). AsContinue reading “How to use Sanderson’s Laws of Magic to Build a Better (fantasy) Story”
The Horrors of Vanity Publishing – With Guest Author Shelly Connor
As we say goodbye to spooky season, many of us are saying hello to NaNoWriMo. It’s a true measure of commitment and endurance to write a novel in one month, but sadly that is only the first step. Once you have written your novel, you have to move on to editing, and then figure outContinue reading “The Horrors of Vanity Publishing – With Guest Author Shelly Connor”
11 Most Common World-Building Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
When creating a whole new world, your goal is to build something that’s unforgettable! Shining, shimmering, splendid, should just be the tip of the iceberg. It can be a lot of fun to dream up ideas about alien spacecraft or magical laws. World-building is an opportunity to let our imagination run rampant and go BIG!Continue reading “11 Most Common World-Building Mistakes & How to Avoid Them”