May 6, 2026 | Tips and Tricks
Here are some of the most common mistakes I’m seeing in manuscripts from newer authors. How many have you been guilty of? đź«Ł 1. Too many dialogue tags. When two people are speaking, you don’t always need to indicate which one is talking. Often it’s obvious. You...
Apr 16, 2026 | The Writing Life, Tips and Tricks
It seems like a simple thing to do, but it’s amazing how many people refuse to open the door. Almost every success I’ve ever had in life has come from me either jumping on an opportunity or creating one. My first book was published when a friend told me...
Feb 25, 2026 | Tips and Tricks
As an editor, I get asked this question a lot: “What does a developmental editor do? Do I need one?” Here’s a quick breakdown of the different types of editors and when you need them. 1. Developmental (substantive) editors: Look at the big picture of a story: plot...
Feb 19, 2026 | Tips and Tricks
Use AI to write your book. (Please, for the love of all that is holy, DON’T.) Skip a first pass for grammar, spelling, and inconsistencies. After all, that’s what editors are for, right? Take all critical feedback personally. It’s not about your story; it’s about YOU....
Feb 9, 2026 | Tips and Tricks
Have you ever read advice that made you feel less-than? Maybe it was something along the lines of “If you want to succeed, you must write every day.” Or “you must write at the same time every day”. Or “you must have a daily word count.” Or “you must write to market.”...
Feb 2, 2026 | Tips and Tricks
Writing in a genre they don’t LOVE, and don’t read, just because they hope it will be more profitable or successful. I’ve seen horror with laughable clichés—purple people eaters and little green men, seriously. I’ve also seen romances without romance, fantasy with no...
Jan 16, 2025 | Mysterious Places
What is it about the circles of standing stones that dot the landscape of Great Britain, Ireland and beyond? A Guest Post by the Incomparable Catherine Cavendish Most famous has to be Stonehenge and, yes, it’s magnificent and if you’re lucky enough to actually walk...
Sep 12, 2024 | Moving to Mexico
Ten things for ten months in this beautiful place! Sometimes it’s hard to believe I made it this far, considering how homesick I was in the beginning. But here I am, closing in on a full year in Mexico! For this list, I tried to choose things you might not have...
Apr 17, 2024 | Moving to Mexico
Photo: Any friends who help with your garage sale are damn good friends! There’s downsizing, and then there’s what I did in order to move to Mexico. Talk about becoming an extreme minimalist, almost overnight! I went from a three-bedroom, three-bathroom...
Mar 29, 2024 | Moving to Mexico
Note: I almost didn’t post this. I was afraid it came across as a bit negative, when negative is the last thing I feel about moving here! Still, since these are things I wish I’d known, quite a few of them deal with pitfalls I’ve inadvertently...
