Monday Minute: 5 Reasons to Try Scrivener

Not long ago, I decided to take the plunge and buy the writing program, Scrivener. I had played around with the trial version before but was overwhelmed by its lengthy tutorial and variety of features. But since I’ve started using Scrivener, I’m hesitant to go back to my old ways of using Google Drive and Mac Pages.

Monday Minute: Do You Hate Reading Your Own Writing?

I came to this realization the other day. While reading through an incomplete fan fiction story, I had the urge to quickly scan through my chapters and just be done with it. I felt like the writing was too choppy, too cluttered with unnecessary words and too juvenile. I’ve always wondered if this feeling was normal and after some research, I discovered that it’s actually quite common.

Monday Minute: How to Cure Your Post-Camp NaNoWriMo Blues

Camp NaNoWriMo ended just two days ago and I’m feelin’ the blues. Cue B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone.” I always feel a little down when NaNoWriMo ends–whether in November or April. Writing can sometimes be a lonely task and it’s nice to have that community that NaNo gives you. So here are my tips on how to recover from your post-NaNo blues.

Monday Minute: A Word on Working Titles

Since the beginning of April, I’ve been participating in Camp NaNoWriMo. It was really a spontaneous decision because I hadn’t planned on doing it. However, the thought of writing a gothic horror novel appealed to me so much that I thought April was the perfect time to start writing another novel. It’s been smooth sailing so far but one aspect I struggle with is coming up with a title–even a working one.

Monday Minute: Keeping an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog

I don’t usually post about blogging advice on here but since it falls in the realm of creative writing, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned about editorial calendars. I’m no expert but I’ve learned that having an editorial calendar is key to keeping your blog organized and on track. 

Monday Minute: Facing the First Draft

I decided that March would be my month of revision for my WIP (work-in-progress) and I thought that sharing my experiences would help me make sense of it all. As much as I like writing though, I really struggle with revision. Revision’s even harder when you don’t like your first draft. At all. 

Monday Minute: Short Stories vs. Novels

At the moment, I’m working on a short story that I want to submit to a literary magazine. Short stories are not my forte but over the last year, I’ve been practicing by writing a few. Almost all of them have gone unfinished. I’ve only written a few flash fictions (both on this blog and outside of it) and short stories that I like. However, the more I practice the  more I feel confident about writing them. I feel like short stories are kind of neglected and overlooked. The novel seems to be looked at as the ultimate goal for the writer. It makes me wonder though–which form do you find more difficult to write? Short stories or novels? Which do you prefer and why? 

Monday Minute: 642 Tiny Things To Write About

642 Tiny Things To Write About is a journal that provides you with fun, inspirational and thought-provoking writing prompts. I got this book as a gift from my brother and his girlfriend during Christmas, and I’ve had a lot of fun with it ever since. It’s one more tool in my writing toolbox that helps spark creativity and motivation.

Monday Minute Writing Prompt: Cliches In Fiction

A few days ago, I watched a YouTube video where a girl talked about all the cliches she couldn’t stand in Young Adult fiction. Listening to her list made me realize that I had a few cliches in my own writing and it reminded me of how easily we can use cliches without even being aware of it. So my writing prompt for today is: What cliches have you found in fiction and how do you avoid them? 

Monday Minute: How Do You Create Realistic Dialogue?

Dialogue is important in a story. It can reveal a character’s personality, provide critical information to the reader and evoke an emotional response. But how do you make it believable and interesting to the reader?