by Shannon Dittemore | Oct 13, 2021 | Author Interview, Author Life, Encouragement, Learning from Other Authors, Writing, Writing Life
UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is Gabrielle! Thank you all so much for entering. What a lively discussion in the comments! Gabrielle, please check your email for details. Hello, writer friends! I have something fun for you today. An interview with author,...
by Shannon Dittemore | Sep 8, 2021 | Author Life, Learning from Other Authors, Mentor Texts, Writing
Books are the best mentors for fiction writers. Perhaps that statement is controversial to you, but today I’m feeling it, and I thought, in light of Stephanie’s delightful post entitled, What Should a Writer Spend Money On, it’s high time someone...
by Jill Williamson | Jan 20, 2021 | Creativity, Editing, First Drafts, Getting Feedback On Your Writing, Learning from Other Authors, Plot, Writing
Last fall, my husband stumbled upon a YouTuber that he greatly enjoys. His name is Ryan George, and he makes short Pitch Meeting videos for the Screen Rant YouTube channel that make fun of the plots of popular movies. You should check them out sometime. You’ll...
by Jill Williamson | Nov 18, 2020 | Author Life, Discovery Writing, Encouragement, First Drafts, Learning from Other Authors, NaNoWriMo, Story Beginnings, Writing
(First, did you see I posted a giveaway blog post on Monday? If you missed it, go and enter!) Now… anyone doing National Novel Writing Month this year? I was. My goal was not so much to win (reach 50,000 words) as it was to write something totally fun—just for...
by Jill Williamson | Oct 21, 2020 | Characters, First Drafts, Learning from Other Authors, Story Structure
Jill here. I took a screenwriting workshop a few weeks back and learned something new and fascinating. At least I thought it was fascinating. Before we dive in, I want to remind you all that THIS Saturday, October 24 at 5:00 p,m. Pacific, Stephanie, Shannon, and I are...
by Jill Williamson | Sep 18, 2020 | Brainstorming, Characters, First Drafts, Learning from Other Authors, Plot, Story Beginnings, Story Ideas, Story Structure
Brainstorming: Idea and Genre My stories always begin with a kernel of an idea. Something I’m intrigued by or curious about. When I’m in that early brainstorming phase, I tend to carry a notebook around with me everywhere. I try to come up with an original premise,...
