Then I Guess I Have to Keep Going!

The other night I talked with two fellow writers about goals. One of the many discussed subjects was self-publishing vs traditional publishing. I’m doing both. Going hybrid is the best route for me because there are some projects I want to get out into the world without the hassle of submitting to agents and publishers.

Four Biggest Lessons Culled from the Writer’s Digest Conference

This past weekend I traveled to New York to the Writer’s Digest Conference. I returned home well after midnight due to a delayed departure. Having gotten 5 or fewer hours of sleep for nearly a week, it took some time to recuperate. The conference was equally invigorating and exhausting. You arrive home, eager to go

Literary Music Lessons: Stakes and The Talking Heads

Stakes: If your writing doesn’t have them, no one will care. You’ve witnessed writing without stakes. It happens when you verbally yell at your television screen or paperback, “Nothing is happening!” Then there’s the opposite experience. When you are so invested in the characters and their success that no disruption is acceptable. You have to stay

NECESSITIES OF SEARCH: CONSISTENCY

One element that is persistently required of your website or blog is consistency. It’s vital. By doing so, you create a consistent voice for yourself on the web and it creates content on a calendar. What does “Consistency” in writing blog posts and content on your website mean? Exactly that, it means that there is something

One month left to get your stories & poems submitted!

If you missed the post back in June, Nerdy Things Publishing is accepting short stories and poetry for a charity benefitting a great not-for-profit organization. Shatter Your Image, the first anthology from Nerdy Things Publishing, will focus on the positivity that comes from embracing your true self. If you want to add your voice, this will

Literary Music Lessons: Motivation and Norah Jones

Motivation: it can be the factor in your writing that determines how readers perceive your characters. Think of your favorite heroes. Now your favorite villains. Odds are if you thought about their character arcs, you also can figure out their motivation. Solid characters need something to drive them, even if they’re secondary. Because if a

Why You Should Treat Your Writing Like a Mortgage

That’s my shelf space. And you can be damned sure I’m coming for it.

Literary Music Lessons: Dialogue and Tenacious D

Many songs emulate an emotional feeling. There may be a story. However, not all songs incorporate actual dialogue, i.e. words exchanged by characters. Comedic rock duo Tenacious D created one of the most quotable songs of all time. And they did it while including hilarious dialogue. Is it the greatest song of all time? No, but

Denver Comic Con Schedule

Last year was my first at Denver Comic Con as an attendee, this year I’ll be there as a panelist, moderator and to mark the official release of The Writer’s Conquest: Establish a Brand. ALL WEEKEND you’ll be able to find me in Author’s Alley. I won’t be far from the Umbrella Corps or Xfinity areas.

MUSICAL LITERARY LESSONS: SETTING AND METALLICA

Setting: It’s a central element to a narrative. Without it, readers get confused. They don’t understand the mood of the book. Worst case scenarios the reader can’t even tell where or when they are in the narrative. That’s why today’s musical literary lesson comes from one of Metallica’s iconic pieces. This lesson on setting is