a little fantasy * a little sci fi * a little love
I've been working hard on my novel set in the 90s. After I began the first draft last year, I had to drop momentum because of Covid. You see, I need quiet to write. That's why I often go to the library to work on a project. And the library was shut early to mid …
Continue reading "How Covid-19 made me forget how my novel ends"
With Covid restrictions lifting in Australia, we got to entertain! The wonderful Sarah (below, right), from the Rainbow Literary Society, contacted me and fellow author, Rebecca Langham, to read at the Stonewall (the one in Sydney). Rebecca had read at one of their events in 2019, and they were ready to follow up with another …
I'd heard this many times. Due to lack of a private space to write during Covid, I have one completed first draft and one still being written. I usually have three works at various stages of progress. One at first draft, one at third and one almost ready to submit. But this week I finally …
Continue reading "The first draft is when you get your ideas down"
My assessor said I blended genres. She worked with me on my first novel, and while I liked books, it never dawned on me their genres were so rigid. I had television experience and in the film and TV world, blending and re-inventing genres was normal. When I started promoting myself and my book, Drama …
I learnt a lot with my first novel. I had various drafts of Drama Queens with Love Scenes assessed before I contacted publishers, and through that process I learnt the first rule I still stick to. 1: Find the right word. When my manuscript came back from my assessor, she often had a word circled …
I tried to court an agent. As regular readers of my blog know, I've been working on a manuscript titled The Midnight Man for four years. It's quite polished, so I thought I'd use it as my calling card to seek representation. Many authors hate creating the synopsis that sits on the back cover their …
Continue reading "Trying to encapsulate my novel in 100 words"
When Covid-19 hit, I was halfway through a first draft. It was a novel set in the 1990s and I was writing it to celebrate a decade I was young enough to fully enjoy. I still have the outline but, at the time of writing this blog (28/10/2020), haven't looked at it since March. This …
In my current WiP, two characters are underdeveloped. I've gone back and highlighted where I can add scenes so the reader can discover more about them. But I did this without really knowing who they are. I've written dialogue which makes them sound similar to other characters and stumbled through creating their history as I …
It's been a while since I've had a Writing Tips Guest Post, and on a recent call out, Melbourne based author, Madeleine D'Este, nominated herself to fill that void. This is her advice which she's titled... THREE TRUTHS ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS I ALWAYS FORGET I’m currently in the final stages of completing my eight …
I always drop chapters toward the end. While I have my outline in front of me I sense certain plot points should come in sooner. The reader will appreciate it and the story won't drag. With my current work in progress, bringing these story elements sooner has affected my word count. Often I find the …
