Tag: writing

Readers Ask: How do you choose character names?

Someone asked me that question in an interview recently, and it got me thinking about the whole process and how various characters came into their names. I couldn’t go into all the details in the interview, so I thought it would be fun to post about it. Names to me represent personalities. They’re important. Naming Main vs. Side Characters I’m very particular about my main characters’ names because I’ll be living with them for quite a while (especially in a series). It’s important to me that my main characters have distinctive names, but not necessarily weird names. I tend toward […]

4 Tips For Making the Most Of Your Writing Sessions

Whether you’re writing a blog post or a book, staying focused during a writing session is not easy. It is easy to check this and check that, frittering away valuable writing time. Most of us have other responsibilities, so it matters how you use the time you have to write. Prioritize your projects or steps within a project. Sometimes it’s easy to get sidetracked with less important projects or even aspects of a project and use all your writing time for that. I can have this problem when I’m having issues with my main WIP or I’m facing a more […]

10 Things I’ve Learned About Writing a Novel in a Month

Writing a book in a month is like a crush and a high-speed car chase with a Fast & Furious-worthy explosion at the end – on drugs. After a much-needed break this summer doing some fun things (including popping around Portside, er, Newport) and working on a side project, I start drafting book three of The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Drive-Bye, today! I draft my books in a month. I don’t know why, but I’ve found it works best for me. And these are ten things I’ve learned about this crazy awesome way of writing a book. 1. Get excited. […]

Skidding in Sideways on Jennifer Becton’s Blog

Hi all! You may remember that I interviewed mystery/historical-fiction author Jennifer Becton last month. Well, yesterday I guest posted on her blog, talking a little about finding an audience as a writer. I discuss three challenges I faced and how I overcame them. Read the post here. Also, you can still download my medieval mystery book The Jester’s Apprentice for free at Smashwords until March 10! Click here to get your copy.

I Write Because I Love Surprises

I started writing the first draft of my sci-fi mystery novel, Hybrid Theory, around the middle of September. I’m making good progress but it’s been a little stilted the last week or so. This morning I finally got on a roll, and in the process I rediscovered one of the reasons I love to write so much. Surprises. I’ve never been much of a plotter in my writing. I used to write with absolutely no idea where I was headed, but to avoid unnecessary heartache during revisions, I’ve developed (or I should say I’m still developing) my own special blend […]

How to Kill a Character in 5 Easy Steps Guest Post

So I’m blonde (not technically, but I certainly behave like it sometimes) and thought my 3-part guest series at The Hot Author Report was this weekend, but it already came and went last weekend. I had such a good time writing my guest post, How to Kill a Character in 5 Easy Steps, that I decided to share it today. There’s also an interview and 5 things you don’t know about me post, if you’re interested. So that’s that. Bring on the weekend! Photo by Brandie Heinel

Today, we’re joined by YA sci-fi author, S.C. Harvey, who I interviewed a little while back about her debut novel, Sand Castles & Seashores. She talks about her love of math and how it affects, and coincides, with her passion for writing. * * * I find it funny when people are shocked to discover that I’m a writer as well as a math geek, it seems counterintuitive to some. But I think the opposite is true. There’s a lot of artistry in the field of mathematics. When you look at a mathematical proof and see it in its entirety, […]