Writing Tips and Writerly Musings

Tips and Tricks To Fix Word Count Issues

March 20th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  13 mins 7 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Each type of book has its own expected word count. From chick-lit to epic fantasy, from picture books, to middle-grade to adult, it’s often easier to find traction with agents, publishers, and even readers when your story length meets expectations.
What do you do when your story is WAY too short -- or too long?

Choices To Make With Beta Readers

March 13th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 15 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

After you’ve written your manuscript and gone over it at least once, it’s usually time to ship it out to some beta-readers, to get an outside perspective. But -- how do you find and pick the right beta readers?

The 10 Types of Queriers: In The Query Trenches

March 6th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  8 mins 41 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, querying, writers, writing, writing tips

For those writers trying to get traditionally published, there are about 10 general approaches, and some are better than others. Which are you?

Top 11 Ways NOT To Respond To Feedback

February 27th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  9 mins 36 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

There are writers who take feedback well, but there are plenty who don’t. Try not to make these mistakes.
Feel your feels, but control your behavior.

5 Tips For Making Write-Ins Work For You

February 20th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  7 mins 22 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

I don’t know how your write-ins work, but these are the guidelines I follow, to get the most out of any write-in — virtual or not.

Romance In Genre Fiction

February 13th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  12 mins 18 secs

balticon, beta-reading, books, critique, romance, writers, writing, writing tips

In Romances, the romance is the point of the story. In genre fiction: the intrigue, the adventure, the mystery is the point, and the main character’s relationships are often what makes the victory possible — be they romantic or otherwise. How do you get the balance right?

Facing Feedback Backwards

February 6th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  4 mins 38 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

After you’ve sent out your writing out, there comes a day when you have to deal with the feedback. Most writers start with the big fixes, because there's no need to fix the line edits if you're not keeping that chapter. Is there?

Fighting Impostor Syndrome

January 30th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  13 mins 6 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Impostor syndrome. Most of us have experienced it. Some of us live with it. Here are some ways to confront it, head on!

When Writing -- Small Changes Can Fix Big Issues!

January 23rd, 2023  |  Season 6  |  5 mins 5 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Have you ever gotten feedback from someone who you respect, saying they hated your work? They liked the idea, but think you should have done it a completely different way?

Sometimes, the fix is smaller than it sounds like.

The Secret To Writing!

January 16th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  7 mins 48 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Did you know there’s a way to take your writing from draft to beloved classic? Something often skipped when you’re learning all the ‘should’ and ‘should nots’ of the novelist’s world?

The Grind VERSUS The Hustle: Comparing 9-to-5s with Creative Work

January 9th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 25 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

While many writers dream of abandoning the daily grind for becoming full-time writers, there's pluses and minuses to both sides of the equation.

Morgan's 2022 Retrospective

January 6th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  10 mins 51 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Looking back on 2022, where did Morgan meet her goals, where did she exceed them, and where did she fall short? If you're a goal-person, how did you do with your goals for 2022?

Season 6: Trailer

January 2nd, 2023  |  Season 6  |  50 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome back for more Writing Tips from the Pros and my own Writerly Musings. What's new for season 6?

They Want What? The Difference Between Blurbs, Queries, and Synopses

November 7th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  10 mins 41 secs

beta-reading, blurbs, books, critique, queries, synopsis, writers, writing, writing tips

All industries have their own specialized terms, and even inside an industry, different people can want things done different ways. In the publishing world, you hear a lot about blurbs, queries, synopses, and more.

Now, I can’t tell you what ALL agents, publishers, and readers are looking for, but I can point you in the right direction.

Creative Couples: Working Together

October 31st, 2022  |  Season 5  |  6 mins 46 secs

beta-reading, books, co-writing, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Some people work with partners. And some people like to work with their romantic partner. But whether you’re romantically involved or not, there’s techniques that could work for you.

At WorldCon2019, Heidi Goody led the working couples of Peter Morwood and Diane Duane, plus Delia Sherman and Ellen Kushner in discussing how to maintain working and romantic relationships — with the same person.

Romantic Subplots

October 24th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  10 mins 15 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, romance, subplots, writers, writing, writing tips

Some books are straight up romances, some have no romantic dealings at all, but for everything in between, they’ve probably got a romantic sub-plot (or two) simmering in the background.

At WorldCon2019, PRK, Kate Johnson, Darlene Marshall, and Elliot Kay shared their tips for creating a successful romantic subplot.