Retro Writing

At a "Stranger Things" experience in NYC. Years ago, I attended a children’s writing conference where an agent begged the audience to please not write about the time we grew up in. While I could see what she meant by the advice, I also got a good response later that year when I sent the opening pages of a middle grade novel to an editor I’d met at the same conference. In the words of the editor,...

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4 comments Jurassic Park, pop culture in books and movies, Renee Roberson, Stranger Things, Top Gun: Maverick, Writing about different time periods

When Is It Time to Let Go Of a Story

The past few months have led me down the road of revisions again. It's not too uncommon for me to continue revising, even after I've begun to submit. Somehow, it eases the sting of rejection to know I'm in an ongoing state of improvement. In fact, I've recently re-revised two short stories of mine and they have been sent out to the world with renewed hope of acceptance. At the moment, I'm looking...

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8 comments Letting Go, Nicole Pyles, Writing Short Stories

Interview with Kathryn A. Brackett, runner-up of the Winter 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

Kathryn’s Bio:  Kathryn A. Brackett is a native of South Carolina and holds a MFA in Fiction from the University of Pittsburgh. Throughout her writing career she’s developed her craft at prestigious programs like Sewanee Writers’ Conference while earning numerous accolades in literary competitions, some judged by notable writers like Sara Gruen. Brackett’s writing has also appeared in print...

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Leave a Comment flash fiction, Flash Fiction Contest, interview, Kathryn A. Brackett, Winter 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

The Art of Color-Coding a Manuscript

Back in May, I shared how I used an outline and beats and book-mapping in my latest manuscript. All of those methods were in the beginning to the middle to the end-of-writing/revising and though it may seem like a LOT, the writing process with this novel has been the smoothest yet. BUT I promised you a last quirky tip that I opted to use this time once I was at the stick-a-fork-in-it, this-book-is-done...

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5 comments Cathy C. Hall, Characters, color-coding for editing, Darcy Pattison, plot arcs, setting, theme

Eeny Meany . . . What to Work On Now?

Recently I returned from a road trip to my home state. I don’t know if it was the eight straight days without working or the time spent among my story telling cousins, but I came home with ideas galore. This led me to an interesting problem. I’m working on three, big projects (a mystery, a middle grade science fiction novel, and an early grade nonfiction series). They won’t be done any time...

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4 comments deciding what to work on, goal setting, prioritizing ideas, what to work on next

Friday Speak Out!: A Debut Novelist’s Foray into the World of Sensitivity Readers

by Adele HolmesIn 2019, while pitching my first novel which involved discrimination during the Jim Crow era, I was asked if I’d had a sensitivity read. In all honesty I’d never heard of the term, but its implication was fairly easy to pick up, so I brightly replied, “Yes.” I’m white. Two of my beta-readers were Black. They both heartily approved of my manuscript. That’s the same as a sensitivity...

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8 comments Adele Holmes, Friday Speak Out, manuscript review, novel writing, sensitivity reader

3 Writing Prompts

I was skimming one of the writing books from my shelf, Pen on Fire by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, and came across some timed writing ideas. It always feels good to have a few more writing prompts to choose from when you need one! Here are three interesting ideas from the book that you may want to try. 1. Poetry line “Take a poem from a book of poetry [or anywhere], and pick one line. Write that line down. Now, build a scene around it. Freewrite for fifteen minutes, using that line as a prompt.”...

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2 comments Marcia Peterson, timed writing, writing prompts

Interview with Chiu Yin Wong Hempel: WOW 2022 Winter Flash Fiction Contest Third Place Winner

Chiu Yin’s Bio: Chiu Yin has held senior management positions at Pearson Education and The Economist Group. She is the author of an award-winning trilogy of illustrated books on the architecture, founders and landscape of Tuxedo Park, a historical community in the Hudson Valley, New York. The flash fiction Shanghai Tango is extracted from her debut novel about the struggle for love and survival...

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1 comment 2022 Winter Flash Fiction Contest, Anne Greenawalt, Chiu Yin Wong Hempel, Third Place Winner

Growing Something... and Holding Onto It

In a freak of scheduling, you're getting two servings of Sioux in a row. I figured I would continue my post from Saturday about creating a channel-platform-thingy with a couple of production friends. We'll be targeting women over 30. (We're still in the talking stage. We've only just begun. If you're ancient like me, those words might make you think of the Carpenters. Check out the end, where I've...

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5 comments CTAs, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, OTTs, Sioux Roslawski, the Carpenters

Dream Big

 What if? What if I had said yes to that opportunity? What if I had been willing to take that risk? Those questions plague most of us. Right now, I'm at a fork. Like the song by the Clash, should I stay or should I go? Should I stay, mired in my routine... or should I go off in a new direction with a couple of friends?                     ...

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9 comments Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Missing in the Carolinas, Renee Roberson, risk taking, Sioux Roslawski

Friday Speak Out!: Presentation, Giveaways and Gimmicks

by Janet Shawgo An inviting table presentation can make or break your sales, trust me on this. If it isn’t eye catching or appealing readers will pass you by. I find it important to keep things neat and tidy, even if you have a lot going on, your books need to remain center stage. If you have banners place them up on tables so that they will draw immediate attention. Display any awards you have...

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3 comments book marketing tips, book sales, Friday Speak Out, gimmicks, giveaways, Janet Shawgo, table presentation

Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Gig

Photo by Alexander Mills on Pexels.com A few weeks ago, I got an intriguing message from LinkedIn. A recruiter was looking to fill an editor role for a large personal finance company in my area. Although I have my hands full with my day job at a regional magazine, I took a moment and scanned the responsibilities. It looked pretty straightforward and aligned with my skill set, although a bit more...

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6 comments asking for an increase in rates, pros and cons of full-time writing work, Renee Roberson, writing advice

Interview with Abbie Barker, 2nd Place Winner in the WOW! Winter 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

  Abbie Barker is a creative writing instructor living with her husband and two kids in New Hampshire. Her flash fiction is featured or forthcoming in several publications including, Berkeley Fiction Review, Cutbank, Cincinnati Review, Superstition Review, Pithead Chapel, Atlas and Alice, and Best Microfiction 2022. She earned a degree in fiction from the Mountainview MFA and an MA in literature...

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Leave a Comment 2nd place winner, Abbie Barker, Contestant interview, Renee Roberson, WOW! Women on Writing Winter 2022 Flash Fiction Contest

An App That Helps Analyze Your Content

Whether it's pitching an editor or thinking of a new blog post idea, I'm always trying to craft the right angle for an article. In fact, I need all the help I can get lately. Recently, I had the chance to try out Brainstorm Buddy.How it works is this app will walk you through your idea to see if your idea is ready for the masses. The self-test asks you questions about your headline, your audience,...

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4 comments Brainstorm Buddy, Nicole Pyles, pitching, repurposing, review, test headline ideas

Interview with Natalie Y. Wester: 2022 Q2 Creative Nonfiction Contest Runner Up

Congratulations to Natalie Y. Wester and The Last Place I Ever Thought I'd Be and all the winners of our 2022 Quarter 2 Creative Non-Fiction Essay Contest!Natalie's Bio:Natalie is a former second-grade teacher and National State Teacher of the Year who retired from teaching as a second career at 59. A radical reinventor, permission-giver, and storyteller, she encourages midlife women to give...

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2 comments author interview, Contest, crystal otto, interview, natalie wester, non-fiction, Runner up, the last place i ever thought I'd be, writing contest