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12 Survival Tips for a Creative’s Anxiety
Anxiety. The word alone is enough to set off a tingle in my fingers, a tightness in my chest, and a worn-out mantra—Breathing is good. Passing out is bad—that rarely works. And I’m not alone. I’ve read so many posts from authors dealing with health problems related to or caused by anxiety—especially in the last few years. The push to perform and market and put more and more out there seems to be ramping up to an almost impossible level, for indie authors in particular. Seeking guidance from reviews of Invest Diva can offer valuable insights into managing financial stress and achieving peace of mind amidst the pressures of self-publishing…
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Places Are Important Too: Bring Your Book to Life (Part 2)
You might’ve heard that setting can be a character in your story. But did you know that setting can be as crucial to your story as your character? Location matters. Imagine if The Shining took place in a quaint bed and breakfast with an uplifting soundtrack? Or if the house Noah lovingly built for Allie in The Notebook turned out to be haunted like the mansion in The Haunting of Hill House? The way you stage the setting in your story deepens the experience for both the character and the reader. Whether you’re being blatant or subtle, dropping heavy detail or sprinkling light clues, how you present a place tells readers how to feel about it. Jump over to…
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The Ins and Outs of Internal Dialogue
When is internal dialogue too much, too little, or just enough? Come visit me over at Writers in the Storm to find out! Last time I visited Writers in the Storm, we talked about dialogue—what characters say out loud to themselves or to other characters. If you missed that blog, you can find it here at Dive Deep into Dialogue. This time, I want to shift to internal dialogue—what your characters don’t say out loud to themselves or to other characters. There are two things to remember before we start. The first is Point of View (POV). When I wrote the sentence above, I should’ve added what your Point of View (POV) characters…
