We've all been there. We are stuck in our office (or wherever we decide to write), and we keep staring at the screen as if a disembodied face will appear and tell us that our writing is the fairest of them all. I hate to tell you this, but it isn't going to happen. If you…
Last week, my husband and I watched Your Name. It's a story about a young girl and boy who swap bodies and what happens as a result of this connection. The story is funny and moving, and you should absolutely watch it.But you know what really won me over?The animation.But there was something about the animation…
So, as some of you might know, I'm currently revising my own book for querying. I am knee-deep in it. I'm going to be querying it in April so I'm at the "think about it so much that I dream about it" stage. As an editor, you think that the revision process would be easier for…
Am I bit nervous about writing this email because it may be controversial? Yes? But has fear of controversy ever stopped iconic artists like Madonna? No. So I'm going to take a cue from the blonde pop princess and live my truth boldly. The most important type of editing is developmental editing. Not copyediting or…
Once upon a time, I was in my early twenties. I don't know about you, but my early twenties were rough. It's a period where not only you don't have your life together, but everyone around doesn't either. So everyone is stumbling around in the dark, trying to figure out how to get a job…
If you've been working on your book for longer than two years, I'm going to be honest with you: you might have a problem. Maybe you're stuck at a certain point in the plot. Or you keep telling yourself that you will write tomorrow. Or you don't know if your story or book is worth…
When I was a little kid, my favorite part of the writing process was printing out my book and reading it. Like the kid from The Christmas Story, I would read it and think it was A plus (plus, plus, plus) work. Fast forward to now. Yesterday, I had to read over my manuscript so I…
My husband and I are currently watching Ted Lasso because, as you know, when you think of a football coach working with a soccer team in England, you think of me. Okay, maybe not. But the show is heartfelt and kind, and there is a writing lesson in it. In one episode, Ted gives all…
You are not selfish for working on your book. I am really tempted to end it there because I think that would be super powerful (and also super true), but I think you probably need a bit more from me than that. Look, I get it. I have the same thought myself sometimes. When you…
Like a good chunk of America, I have used Animal Crossing to help me get through this strange dystopian novel that we are currently living in. As I play the game, I can't help but notice one glaring issue with the game: some characters say the exact same thing as other characters.For example, if Judy…