Just like fiction, feature writing is hard. I spent a lot of my time doing both this semester, and I learned quite a bit about what translates between genres and what doesn’t. If you’re looking to switch from one to the other, here are a few tips (and my thoughts) on the differences required when… Continue reading Eating vs. Reading: A Research Comparison
Category: Advice
When Writing Becomes Work
With the end of the semester quickly approaching, I’ve been working more and more on my final projects, all of which are focused on writing. Now that I’m spending seven or eight hours a night doing nothing but writing, I’ve started to wonder at what point this writing stops being fun or even bearable and… Continue reading When Writing Becomes Work
Overcoming the Hurdle of Fear
Every year I submit a story to Baylor’s Student Literary Contest, and every year I have to spend hours convincing myself to do it. Logically, I know that nothing bad is going to happen if I send in a piece of my work. They might like it, they might not, but ultimately it doesn’t change… Continue reading Overcoming the Hurdle of Fear
Writing What You Don’t Know
“You must stay firmly based in reality when writing,” my creative writing professor says. This means no fantasy, science fiction, or even dystopian stories. I don’t agree with her, but I nod along as she speaks, because she’ll be the one grading my stories. Still, her words bring up an interesting point, and the old… Continue reading Writing What You Don’t Know
Peaks in Life
There are a lot of ups and downs in life, and chances are, you’re either in a devastatingly deep valley or at the top of the highest mountain you’ve climbed in a while. We don’t often notice when we’re in between. I’ll admit that at the moment, I’m sitting at a very low point. The… Continue reading Peaks in Life
The Problem of Overcompensation
I promise this is about writing, but first I’m going to tell you a story. I was driving home yesterday, so I went to McDonald’s to get a Sprite and french fries. There was no ketchup in the bag, so I asked for some. I specifically remember saying “Can I get some ketchup? Just one… Continue reading The Problem of Overcompensation
Finishing Your Novel
I’m nearing the end of my current project, and I can feel myself slowing down; as the end draws nearer, my daily word count decreases, and I spend more time reading, researching, and plotting. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, considering the fact that I was unsure of exactly how the story would end until about three… Continue reading Finishing Your Novel
Books for Writers Review: Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is a classic. It contains tons of advice and funny stories, and what else could you want from a book about writing? Like the best books, this one offers so many snippets of truth that I felt like I was highlighting every other line. There were even moments I found myself… Continue reading Books for Writers Review: Bird by Bird
“A woman must h…
“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” -Virginia Woolf Now I’m not a big fan of Virginia Woolf, but I love this quote. While the money part is debatable, I think most people will agree that having a room of your own, or someplace where… Continue reading “A woman must h…
The Weight of Words
The position I’m in right now, which is a great one by the way, is all because of a few words one of my professors told me. Here’s his final critique for the portfolio (first ten pages of a novel) that I submitted for my creative writing class: “An excellent start to a gripping story. You’d… Continue reading The Weight of Words