HOW CAN I COME UP WITH A GOOD HOOK? Don’t fall in love with the hook you currently have. A novel is fluid until it’s published, so try some hooks on for size, but don’t pressure yourself to come up with one before moving forward. Only when you’ve finished your book will you know […]
Tag Archives: writing retreats
Teacher Thursday with a fix.
Fiction writing Writing tipsLast week, Steven introduced the issue of causality in your novel. Scroll back to the last blog post if you need a little reminder. Today, let’s talk about fixing those issues. Sometimes writers wonder, DOES EVERYTHING IN A STORY HAVE TO BE CONNECTED? Unless your novel centers on the absurdity of life, every subsequent event […]
Santa Rosa Beach Writers Retreat: Day Four
Writing Writing retreats Writing tipsThe highlight of the day, according to our group of writers, was the Skype call with Josh Getzler, literary agent at Russell and Volkening. Having an opportunity to talk face-to-face (okay, face to computer?) with a New York agent is one of the big perks of the retreat. Anyone who’s ever been to a conference […]
Santa Rosa Beach Writers Retreat: Day Three
Writing Writing retreatsDay three of the Write by the Water writers retreat started with a morning talk with Jack, and then the group went their separate ways to work on writing projects. Some printed their pages and took them to the beach where the sound of the waves caressing the shoreline provided the perfect background, while others stretched […]
Santa Rosa Beach Writers Retreat: Day Two
Writing Writing retreats Writing tipsToday was a productive day at the retreat. Breakfast was followed by a group discussion. Then, our writer-in-residence, Jack Riggs invited each of the writers to spend some one-on-one time with him during the stay to talk about their writing journey, their current projects, and to answer questions they have about writing and the writing […]
Writers Unite at Santa Rosa Beach: Day One
Writing Writing retreats Writing tipsArrived at Santa Rosa Beach just before noon. The house couldn’t be more perfect for our week-long adventure with our small group of writers. Our cast of characters for the retreat includes writers from as nearby as Panama City and as far away as British Columbia, Canada. Yes, with Colleen’s application, we are able to […]
Must-Read Books for Aspiring Writers
What I'm reading WritingOne of my favorite books is Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird.” If you ever wanted to write, this is the book for you. Lamott’s guide through the writing process is funny and generous. If you read this book and you don’t put pen to paper…well…I just know you will-if you really want to write. Her […]
