Perhaps one of the biggest challenges in anyone’s life is time. It goes by quickly, and as adults, the demands on our time only continue to increase. We have to balance home, family, work, interests, health, friends, and then all the pulls. By pulls, I mean all the things that come up. These are thingsContinue reading “Mastering Time: Finding Balance in Life and Writing”
Tag Archives: The Writer’s Life
Embracing the Joys of Publishing: An Author’s Perspective
What are the satisfying moments of publishing? A lot of people ask me if there is a sense of accomplishment in seeing my work in print. I suppose so. Though there are a lot of moments that give me and other authors that sense of ‘well-done’ or ‘good job’. For me, these feelings come whenContinue reading “Embracing the Joys of Publishing: An Author’s Perspective”
From Fairy Tales to Urban Fantasy: A Writer’s Journey
When someone asks how long it takes to write a book, I usually say a few years. From concept to finished product, it’s a process! A few years ago, I started playing around with the idea of fairy tale retellings. I’m not a huge fan of fairy tales, more specifically, the passive princess. I didn’tContinue reading “From Fairy Tales to Urban Fantasy: A Writer’s Journey”
The Discipline of Writing
I’ve always been a writer. From my earliest memories, the written word has fascinated me. Like most people, I easily default to the excuse of, ‘life is busy’ when struggling with finding time to write. Over the years, I’ve tried numerous suggestions that have worked for other authors. I have to be honest, none ofContinue reading “The Discipline of Writing”
Self-Publishing VS Traditional Publishing
Over the past few decades, the whole realm of independent publishing, self-publishing, or being an independent author has grown. Not only have independent authors increased, but the whole industry has developed. A number of decades ago, a self-published author would write a memoir or a story. They would pay for a company to typeset, edit,Continue reading “Self-Publishing VS Traditional Publishing”
Writing Resources -Brandon Sanderson
When I meet other aspiring authors, I often get asked questions about improving one’s writing. I can share a little bit, but like anything in life, we’re always learning and growing. So, I’m always reading or listening to resources on writing. Perhaps one of the best resources, especially for new authors, is Brandon Sanderson’s lectureContinue reading “Writing Resources -Brandon Sanderson”
This Meet That: Genre Blending in Modern Fiction
Consider a recent book you’ve read. Did it feel like a mix of genres? Perhaps there was a romance story mixed in with an adventure. Or maybe a sci-fi with a touch of western (think Firefly). Genre blending or genre mixing is a term used a lot with fiction. It’s pretty common to see blurbsContinue reading “This Meet That: Genre Blending in Modern Fiction”
Naming Characters: Building Worlds with Meaningful Names
It seems like an obvious enough title. And it’s true, each character in a book does have a name that connects them to something. In a previous post, I spoke about how I like to choose names for characters. One of biggest things I do is pick a name that has a meaning that matchesContinue reading “Naming Characters: Building Worlds with Meaningful Names”
The Human Approach: Connecting the Reader with the Main Character
About two decades ago I attended a writing class where the teacher said the main character needs to be larger than life but also relatable. Since then, I’ve read numerous books on writing and they all say something similar. Main characters are the center of the narrative because essentially, the story wouldn’t happen without them.Continue reading “The Human Approach: Connecting the Reader with the Main Character”
Story Telling
So when a writer sits down to pen a tale, do they intentionally try to teach a lesson? That’s a great question and I’ve noticed that some people seem to think this. I think this reflects the power of a good story. As an author, I can honestly say that I’ve never written a storyContinue reading “Story Telling”
K. M. Wray 