What I wish I saw more in books

I’ve read countless books and loved them, but I also feel that there are parts of life that many books don’t mention. There is so much that doesn’t make it to the bookshelves. As a disclaimer, most of the books I’ve read are YA fiction, so this is mostly criticizing that genre. But some of … Continue reading What I wish I saw more in books

Brave to mention (haikus)

i. They knew the kind youBut I knew you when your handsShouted your anger ii. My words could repeatYour actions but no one wouldBelieve a small mouse Copyright © Robin LeeAnn

What credentials should you put in your query letter?

At the end of a query letter, it's important to write something about yourself. But...what do you write? Some people write about where they got their college degrees from. Or perhaps how long they've been working on this manuscript. But is that necessary? Let's find out! Degrees (BA OR MFA) Degrees are usually only necessary … Continue reading What credentials should you put in your query letter?

First lines given – #5

Welcome to First Lines Given! If that sentence confuses you, here's a link to where I explain what this is. Today's first line is by Dea Jones! She said: This one could go in many different directions. I decided to take an older approach to it though. Here's the result: A cold Spam sandwich and … Continue reading First lines given – #5

A writer’s journey (part eight) – blogging, more research, and twitter

It has been a while since I’ve written one of these. I’ve been meaning to, but my busy schedule took control for a little bit. I have three topics in the title, because I’ve seen the most growth in these areas. Let’s go one by one. Blogging As I mentioned here before, my blog has … Continue reading A writer’s journey (part eight) – blogging, more research, and twitter

One big tip for knowing how you’ve gotten a good editor

Editing is essential. As writers, we all need some type of editing. Even me, who is trained in editing, is not the best editor for my own work. There are mistakes that our brains cannot find in our stories, our children. So, editors become our biggest helpers. What's great is that some editors will give … Continue reading One big tip for knowing how you’ve gotten a good editor

Book review – Crazy Rich Asians (Spoiler Free)

“I hate to point out the obvious, but here's this tiny bird that's been trying to get through a huge bulletproof glass wall. A totally impossible situation. You tell me it's been here every day pecking away persistently for ten minutes. Well, today the glass wall came down.” Title: Crazy Rich Asians Author: Kevin Kwan … Continue reading Book review – Crazy Rich Asians (Spoiler Free)

The Sunshine Blogger Award

I would like to thank Nen and Jen from Nen & Jen for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! It was such a pleasant surprise to wake up to. If you haven't checked out Nen & Jen, you should. They write awesome book reviews from fantasy to YA to romance books. They also have … Continue reading The Sunshine Blogger Award

Can you stop writing—take a break—for “too long”?

On the first day of class, eighteen students sat in a circle, facing each other as awkward as can be. We didn't really look at each other, and most of us had no idea what we were doing there. Our teacher leaned forward and turned to look at each of us. She asked how long … Continue reading Can you stop writing—take a break—for “too long”?

Book review – The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications (Spoiler Free)

“Even if you haven't formally studied English grammar, you know countless aspects of grammar as an English speaker. You would never say or write "I are hungrily very," no matter how many hours had passed since your last meal. Not all questions of grammar are that simple, of course, but many tangles are easily resolved … Continue reading Book review – The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications (Spoiler Free)