I asked for poetry advice once and…

I asked for poetry advice once. Gave out a few poems. Out of the two that answered, only one responded. What I got was: "Read more poetry books." I've read poetry, but I asked for a critique. So, I only assumed that my work was terrible. A disaster. I'm not sure what else to think … Continue reading I asked for poetry advice once and…

How many rejections is too many?

A while back, I was on a live stream with Anna Akana when she did something that surprised me. Instead of saying "aw man" or so when I mentioned how many rejections I have gotten, she got excited. She said it was good for me. After the rejections made a mountain on my desk, they … Continue reading How many rejections is too many?

Dear Readers

Dear Readers, Don’t think the fantasy world in my manuscript is anything like Earth. I wrote the novel to escape Earth, not to be trapped by its walls. So, it may seem a bit more anachronistic than most. Let my stories be filled with overpowered bombs, no electricity, and advanced magic. Just because we developed … Continue reading Dear Readers

For your new literary agent

When searching for a literary agent, some people think about only their query letter. But usually agents ask for more. Synopsis These are not always the most fun, but they do point out your plot right off the back. Does it all flow together? Does it make sense? Is there a spot where it may … Continue reading For your new literary agent

Art of skimming: a skeptical bliss

Lately with my busy schedule, I've perfected a new art form: skimming. I didn't mean to. I open a book with the intent to read every single word and get the most out of it. But sometimes I'm there for the story plot rather than the writing. The words on the page aren't as smooth … Continue reading Art of skimming: a skeptical bliss

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)

How a doctor’s appointment helped me think about marketing

My phone buzzed. Reminder: your doctor’s appointment is scheduled for tomorrow, March 27th, at 2:00 p.m. I nodded along, half paying attention. I already had two different reminders from my wall calendars. I opened up another tab on Google Chrome when my laptop dinged. Doctor’s appointment is tomorrow. Thanks. My laptop ran slow though since … Continue reading How a doctor’s appointment helped me think about marketing

What I noticed after 5 sessions at an editing conference

It's strange when you think about how words matter the most to us, but yet we don't talk. We sit still by ourselves. Where's the best place to see without people nearby? We pull out our laptops, phones, and anything else we can distract ourselves with. I mean, we're surrounded by our people yet we … Continue reading What I noticed after 5 sessions at an editing conference

Updating my most inspirational books!

It has been a while, but I finally updated the list of books that have a lasting effect on me. I can't believe how many powerful books I have come across since I last updated it. By now, I did book reviews for some of those books, including Turtles All the Way Down, The Hate … Continue reading Updating my most inspirational books!