"I choose to go home." Title: Soul of the Deep Author: Natasha Bowen Genre: YA fantasy Pages: 304 pages Publication date: September 27, 2022 Last year, I read Skin of the Sea and enjoyed it, so when I saw book two, Soul of the Deep, at a bookstore, I had to get it. Soul of the … Continue reading Book review – Soul of the Deep (Spoiler Free)
Tag: action
15 questions to build stronger characters
Strong characters—main and side characters—can bring your story to life. They're hard to write but worth it to help readers stay immersed in your story. Here are fifteen questions to help build your characters: What is the second thing your character wants the most?What social media would be your character's favorite? How would they use … Continue reading 15 questions to build stronger characters
POV talk: first person
There are many POVs with questions surrounding them. I want to break them all down and discuss the biggest concerns in different posts. Today, I'll talk about first person POV. FIRST person First person is intimate between the reader and the main character (MC). You get front row seats through the MC's eyes. It also … Continue reading POV talk: first person
Common writing mistakes #13
#13 — Dialogue tags vs. action beats Dialogue tags can be tricky. But they're easy to understand after knowing the difference between them and action beats. Dialogue tags show who's speaking and how they're speaking. These can include but are not limited to: Begged Exclaimed Grumbled Muttered Mumbled Said Screamed Shrieked Snapped Whispered Yelled Dialogue … Continue reading Common writing mistakes #13
11 editing tips from a professional
At the ACES conference, one session had many editing tips for editors and writers. Here are some: Check all quotations (to see if it is a verified source) Don't ignore your inner voice (when it says something's wrong) Omit needless words Favor active voice (because we need passive voice sometimes) Edit out loud Advice is … Continue reading 11 editing tips from a professional
Book review – Reflection (Spoiler Free)
“I am Fa Mulan, a girl who would sacrifice her life for her family and for China. I am a girl who journeyed into the Underworld to save her friend from dying. I am a girl who has fought battle after battle to finally recognize herself in the mirror. And now I do.” Title: Reflection … Continue reading Book review – Reflection (Spoiler Free)
One of the greatest mistakes
I've mentioned that beta readers are useful on here before, which most of them are. But some can be harmful. A beta reader edited my novel a couple of years ago. He didn't read through it all though, but instead tore it apart and asked me to write it again. I thought through his advice … Continue reading One of the greatest mistakes
Book review – Wolves’ Gambit (Spoiler Free)
"At first I'd envisioned [Lori Grenville] as some sort of super spy. While that was a fun idea, it was wrong. Turns out she's a woman with a mission, and she'll do what it takes to get the job done. She sees herself as being on the side of good even if sometimes she needs … Continue reading Book review – Wolves’ Gambit (Spoiler Free)
Robin LeeAnn 