Excellent Reads

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and, that if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two!

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and, that if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two!

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and, that if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two!

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and, that if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two!

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and, that if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two! Like what you see? Follow these amazing authors on Twitter!

As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and that, if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two! Like what you see from these fantabulous authors? Follow 'em on Twitter! 

This is a week of new features for me- today I present to you Twitter Tuesday and on Thursday you'll be introduced to Thursday's Thoughts! As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed (with all of my #amwriting and #amediting Tweets) I've been trying my hand at writing the last year or so. "Trying" being the operative word- I have struggled with my writing so much during that time, especially in the first drafts. However, I've found a lot of comfort in perhaps one of the most unlikely places- Twitter. How so? Through reading some of my favorite authors writing experiences- namely in their similar struggles. Reading their Tweets really helps put things into perspective for me, reminding me that even the most successful authors struggle every now and again, but that they've been able to overcome it and that, if they can, we can too! Some are funny, some are sad, but I think that we will all be able to relate to one or two! Want to learn more about these...

Today I am excited to have Brian Palmer and Jason Rowe stop by the blog to tell us a bit about co-authoring their book XII: Genesis!  Brian: Anyone who has ever sat down to try and write a novel knows of the many pitfalls that await you. Procrastination. Writer's block. Email. Social media. Family. Friends. More procrastination. It seems in fact that from the very moment we decide we want to create this fictional tale that has come sweeping into our minds like a wave onto a warm, tropical island around sunset, there are forces set to oppose us so that we will be prevented from doing the very thing we want to do. Jason: And it's important to realize that while all of these things can get in the way of your writing, they actually do take priority along the way, especially if you have responsibilities that others are counting on you to fulfill and writing isn't your primary source of income or priority. The key is always going to be a matter of prioritization and time manageme...

Today I am excited to have Juliana Haygert, author of "Her Heart's Secret Wish", stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process!  Like most writers, I started writing at an early age. But then it was just a hobby. During college, I stopped writing. Not sure why, though. Too busy? Even though I wasn’t writing anymore, my mind never stopped creating stories and making observations “ah, this would be an awesome detail for a story” and things like that. Around 2008, the urge to write again was overwhelming. I started writing again, and I started thinking about it as more than a hobby. For the first time, I thought about trying to get published. While I wasn’t writing my first real manuscript, as I call it, I researched about the process, the agents, the editors, the wants and wishes, all of that dance. Early into 2010, I finish my first real manuscript and submitted to agents. I’m serious. Man, I hope they don’t remember me. The writing was horrible. Horrible! Ye...

Today I am excited to have Evelyn Ink, author of "Ill-Fated" and "Sticks, Stones, and Dragon Bones" stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process!  On Writing Fantasy and the Invention of Words One of the most fun things about writing Ill-fated was inventing words and place names. I have always loved writers who immerse you in their world with language (think of Tolkien’s use of Norse mythology and Rowling’s use of Latin). Whether they’ve invented new words, or brought back old, rare words with a twist, it definitely sets up the whole feel of a fantasy world; making it more vivid and real, or strange and surreal. While writing Ill-fated, I tried to invent words that sound like what they are, but with a poetic touch. For a long time, I kept a journal of words I just liked the sound of, and then paired them up with other words to create names for things like types of trees, flowers, potions, or places. A few of my favorite invented words were: Idlerile f...

Today I am honored to have author Hanna Peach stop by the blog to tell us the heartwarming story about how she became a published author! A sunflower & how I came to be published…  I wrestled with whether this story was too personal to tell, too soon to tell... I’ve been told, as writers, that we must ‘tell the truth’. So… …this is what happened. I had wanted to be a writer since I was seven, but for the lack of confidence in me, I was never serious about my writing. Instead, I dabbled, I hobbied, I busied myself with a ‘real job’. But always there was this sense that it wasn’t enough for me. In early 2012 I was accepted into a week-long writing Masterclass, where I met my writing mentor, the man who would change me as a writer forever. He was one of Australia’s most popular writers, having published (to date) 21 bestselling novels. For some reason he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I left that Masterclass with these words in my ear, “Keep writing, Ha...