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Words to Whiskey

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Donna Judy Curtin Leave a comment

To write is a craft.

Like any craft, there is a process or sequence of steps to create a consistently identifiable, bold and long lasting product.

The craft of making whiskey hasn’t changed much over hundreds of years and writing is the same.

To make whiskey, you need only three simple ingredients; water, barley and yeast. Yet, with so few components, there are thousands upon thousands of flavours, and just as many Coopers (those who make whiskey). Although all stories share in the same basic premise–having scenery, characters and a problem, there are innumerable genres, styles and adaptations of old story lines.

As a story writer, there are things we can learn from the process of making whiskey.

This Writer Is Hitting The Pause Button

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 Tracey Richardson Leave a comment

I like planning. I like being organized. I like being methodical, chronological, practical, predictable. It’s not in my DNA to wander the literary landscape without a map, without a plan. And yet this is exactly where I find myself after recently having completed my 13th novel (due for publication this December by Bella Books).

Passion And Pen

April 15, 2019April 29, 2019 Kelly Babcock Leave a comment

I write when the spirit moves me.

Or, when the bank account looks low. That as well. And lately, that has driven my pen more than my spirit has.

I’m contractually obligated to produce between ten and eleven columns a week for various places. And they all have specific topic requirements.

That’s 2550 column or blog posts I’ve written in the last six years that had to be about one certain topic or another.

Do what you love

You Too Can Edit Your Way to Perfection

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 Donna Judy Curtin Leave a comment

I have an amazing announcement.

This news is so exciting, it is hard to believe and if you write, you will understand the significance of this announcement.

My novels, all of them, are completed—fully edited and absolutely perfect.

That’s right.

There isn’t a single word, comma, piece of dialogue or description I can improve or change. Three months from now, five years down the road or in twenty five years, I will be able to read my novel and there will not be a single cringe worthy passage. I will never roll my eyes or possibly consider a forceful palm slap to my forehead… because my writing is perfect now and will be perfect then.

If you haven’t picked up on the theme of my blog, check the calendar.

My Process, or My Mental Blog

March 18, 2019March 17, 2019 Andrée Levie-Warrilow Leave a comment

I have to write my blog.
The deadline is looming; the time is nigh. Luckily, I am focused and organized, and ready to go. Mostly. I just have to do a few things first. Minor, quick things. Read more

My Life As A Plantster!

March 11, 2019March 4, 2019 Tracey Richardson Leave a comment

For most of my novel writing career, I’ve been a Plotter. I would write pages and pages of notes before I started writing a novel—mostly to do with plot, but also to do with character development. It was my safety net, and I would not start my novel until I was sure I’d thought out every twist and turn (nuanced or obvious) and knew everything there was to know about my characters.

I’m happy to report that, more than a dozen published novels later, I’ve evolved into a Plantster. Which, for those of you who aren’t familiar with these terms, a Pantster is someone who writes by the seat of their pants without a detailed plan. A Plantster is a hybrid between a Plotter and a Pantster.

Now when I start a novel I only have a couple of pages of notes, and they’re more of a guideline rather than rules. I leave myself lots of room to play around, and I’m loving it. Read more

Have you Fed your Writing Muse Today?

February 4, 2019February 3, 2019 Donna Judy Curtin 1 Comment

What is it about this writing thing that we enjoy?

Why would anyone want to rise before the sun, to plunk away on a keyboard in the dark and put their precious words and feelings up for the judgement of others?

Is it all about the imagining of a character’s challenges and how they can overcome them in a heroic way? Or perhaps this writing thing is a way to come to terms with our lives or to imagine how the story could have ended differently.

When I consider the moments and life experiences that have inspired my best stories, I clearly see the muse for my writing.

Do you know yours?

Applying screenwriting tips to your novel

January 21, 2019January 9, 2019 Tracey Richardson 1 Comment

I recently came across some simple but impactful screenwriting tips. The advice said every scene should be one of three things: a fight, a seduction or a negotiation.

Sound a little too simple? Maybe. But when you think about it, especially when it comes to films or television dramas, there’s a lot of truth to it. Think about your favourite big and small screen scenes. One of my favourite films is “When Harry Met Sally”. Almost every scene between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is either a fight, a seduction or a negotiation (or all three at once). And man, does that make for a lot of tension and excitement.

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