One of the most common pieces of advice I find handed out to writers who are still beginning to develop their craft is to write what you know. I have never liked it. True, it is a well-meaning piece of…

The writing process I have grown accustomed to entails many levels of involvement. As other new authors soon discover, writing the book is just step one. As soon as you are done with the story and have typed “The End”…

Among the many things I have worked on since returning to the world of writing, illustrating has proved to be just as challenging as crafting the story itself. I usually begin with the cover art then go from one chapter…

Every writer has a process by which they tell stories. Some write only after creating an outline while others write without a plan. There are many labels for these types. Plotters and Pantsers, Architects and Gardeners, Macro and Micro Planners……

Writing bugs can be found in many places. Some are found at your local library. Others, in your favorite book, but for the most part, these little critters tend to hang out where you least expect. Some can reside in…

A year comes and goes in a blink, yet at the start of the year it seems as if the road ahead will never end. Trials will be met and blocks will force us to go awry despite our best…

Over the past few years (Okay, decades) I have noticed a change in people around me. I am among the quiet folk, so I keep such observations to myself. True, changes happen all the time. Weather changes from season to…

I answered a question on this topic not long ago and wanted to expand for the sake of clarity. Writer’s block is the scourge of wordsmiths the world over. There is no greater frustration than staring at a blank page…

I have joined a number of writing groups over the years and have an understanding that is clear to writers but not so much to readers. In fact, some readers can be shocked to learn a truth about fiction writing:…