Last year was a strange year. I was home from work for several months during the worst of the pandemic and thought I would get a lot of writing and editing done in that time. I definitely picked up some crafty hobbies, like miniature building, and worked a lot on my blog, but my novel felt like…work. Like, I needed to prove I was still a productive citizen of capitalism. And honestly, I think that period of time was a gift in some ways in that it allowed a lot of people to rest and reset. (While simultaneously revealing a lot of devastating structural flaws in our system of government.) At the end of the day, I’m not going to stress myself out over not enough work time put in. I managed to keep my mental health in a relatively good place and that’s really enough for me. I have been trying to put more of an effort into my writing and editing lately and thought I’d share some writerly memes that have made me laugh and kept me sane.
Continue reading “A Writer’s Life”Category: on writing
Photo Prompt Friday: Ethereal
Photos and images can have a weight or a weightlessness, a heaviness or softness. How do you convey weight (or lack thereof) in writing?
Continue reading “Photo Prompt Friday: Ethereal”Photo Prompt Friday: Unbelievable Natural Landscapes
There are some places in the world that seem too beautiful to be true. They’re more like locations in fantasy books than naturally occurring phenomena on our planet! What appeals to you about these photos? Is it the vibrant colors? The desolation? The natural beauty? What do you find surprising? Strange? Other-wordly or surreal? Try to incorporate some of these elements into your next story.
Continue reading “Photo Prompt Friday: Unbelievable Natural Landscapes”Room to Breathe: Negative Space in Writing.
“Space is the breath of art.”
American architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Nowadays, a lot of us have had the experience of reading a fast-paced, action-packed book that jumps from one disaster to the next with no room to breathe. And according to most writing advice, escalating plot tension is the “correct” way to write. But it is not a reflection of real life. While many events may happen to us in a row, there is also downtime between events for us to grieve or process changes. There is also a baseline “before”, a status quo before things change. Life before the zombie apocalypse /oppressive government regime/ regulation of magic / dragon extinction, etc…
In a book, these “before” and “during” spaces give the reader room to breathe. A temporary release of the tension allows readers to process what they read and to form strong attachments to your characters. Repeat after me: A story needs downtime. A story needs room to breathe.
Continue reading “Room to Breathe: Negative Space in Writing.”Friday Photo Prompts: Doorways
Whenever I’m in a new place in my travels, I love to look at doorways. Doorways can tell you a lot about a place. Are they open or closed? Thin or heavy? Old or new? What colors are they? How tall or short? Are they simple or ornate?
But beyond their physical appearance, I think doorways can serve as metaphors. Doorways represent possibility. They represent potential for change. They could be beginnings or endings. Portals between one world and the next or even dead ends. Doorways can be invitations or, as with some vampire stories, obstacles. Doors can make you feel safe or fill you with dread…
Continue reading “Friday Photo Prompts: Doorways”FRIDAY PHOTO PROMPTS: Art Installations
Happy Friday everyone! It’s time for – you guessed it – Friday Photo Prompts! Today I decided to post photos of art installations.
I love how art installations alter our perceptions of the world around us. They make us reconsider mundane objects. They transform ordinary spaces. I think there is potential for some great fantasy world-building in these photos. How could you incorporate elements of these pictures into a fantasy or sci-fi story?
Continue reading “FRIDAY PHOTO PROMPTS: Art Installations”Writing Rituals: Creating a Third Space.
Let’s cozy up together…and talk about…writing rituals.
You might ask yourself: what’s the difference between a ritual and a habit? Well, habits are things we do every day without thought – drinking water, brushing our teeth, tying our shoes. Through repetition, these tasks have become effortless. Unlike habits, rituals are not passive. Rituals require mindfulness. Rituals are a choice we make, over and over again.
Continue reading “Writing Rituals: Creating a Third Space.”Friday Photo Prompts
For today’s Friday photo prompt, I chose photos of people that invite you to tell their story. As writers, it’s easy to get caught up in the physical details – hair color, eye color, skin color – and lose a big portion of what makes us human. Characterization isn’t just what someone looks like – but what they do – their small gestures, habits, idiosyncrasies, the way they dress, the work they do, the things they create, the way they interact with people…
Continue reading “Friday Photo Prompts”April: Camp NaNoWriMo
Happy April everyone! I’m happy to report the weather is finally sunny here. While I have some free time, I’ve been trying to work on the last few chapters of my novel. Since it’s good to have a goal and something to work towards, I’ve decided to join April’s Camp NaNoWriMo.
Continue reading “April: Camp NaNoWriMo”Friday Photo Prompts
If you’re looking for writing inspiration, go no further. These ten images will get ideas percolating in no time. Let these strange and awe-inspiring landscapes from real life inspire your next project!
Continue reading “Friday Photo Prompts”