My husband and I are currently watching The Umbrella Academy (so no spoilers, please), and I am loving the show. Yes, there is great character development, and it is often fun to watch superhero movies and shows (not always because Ant-Man exists . . . feel free to come at me if you disagree). But I…
As all of you may or may not know, I am writing my own book. If you want to watch my video journey through the process (or watch me analyze pop culture for writing lessons), go to my Facebook page for Facebook lives! I am calling my show Fox on Pop. I am going to…
I am currently writing a New Adult novel (spoiler alert: it is coming out this fall), and I was totally stuck. I had no idea how to solve the problem of my protagonist not having enough agency.Then I headed into my "Harry Potter" room (it has a little cubby that looks like the room that Harry…
You know how Smokey the Bear warns against forest fires? Well, I am going to pull in my dog, Nola Bear, to warn you against head-hopping. What is head-hopping? I am glad you asked! No, it doesn't involve the Red Queen (fortunately, everyone keeps her head). It is when you are in a scene and you…
Yesterday I was reading the delightful From Twinkle, with Love, and a terrible thought hit me: What if Ms. Menon never wrote this book? The thought broke my heart. This book was giving me so much joy. I was learning about new female filmmakers and laughing along with Twinkle's mishaps. I adored rooting for her romance and…
1. Read a book written by someone who is different from you.2. Analyze the lyrics to your favorite song.3. Write for 100 days straight.4. Familiarize yourself with The Chicago Manual of Style.5. Sign up for The Hot Sheet. 6. Hire an editor. 7. Read poetry for a month.8. Talk to a stranger in line and make him…
It isn't a room of one's own (though it certainly helps). It isn't a fancy Mac or the nicest pen (not that I don't love those things). To quote Huey Lewis and the News: "It don't take money; it don't take fame." It is something that is free, but it is hard to obtain (the rhyme…
1. YouOkay, I don't even think this show is particularly well-written. It is clearly written by a bunch of frustrated English majors who are stuck writing a trashy show. (Not that there is anything wrong with that. To be honest, it is #goals.) I started the show thinking I would hate watch it. Then I couldn't…
I don't know what it is like where you are living, but people in the D.C. area can't stop talking about the two Fyre Festival documentaries. I went to two parties this weekend, and it was the main topic of discussion at both events (at the cost of the Superbowl and game night). In case…
The other day, I was Voxing with one of my clients, and she asked me how I read for fun as an editor. It isn't easy. When I am reading a book, even from a traditional publisher, it is hard for me to not notice errors. This is especially true while I am copyediting a book.…