Morgan's 5 Biggest Fears When Facing Feedback

January 24th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  6 mins 23 secs

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

If you put your work out there, you're going to get feedback -- whether it's friends, beta-readers, or people who purchased your book. And that feedback can be scary. Here are my top 5 fears when receiving feedback.

If Your Writing Isn't 3D, Layer It!

January 17th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  7 mins 11 secs

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

When I write, I'm pretty focused on the characters and what's going on -- both plotwise and in their heads. That can leave my descriptions... lacking. But! That's okay, because you don't have to get everything in during your rough draft! You can layer in detail.

Morgan's 2022 Resolutions

January 12th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  11 mins 9 secs

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

While resolutions aren't for everyone, I think they work for me. Here are my plans for 2022.

How I Finally Gave In and Set Up My Own Newsletter

January 10th, 2022  |  Season 4  |  22 mins 49 secs

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

Long story short -- I now have a P.O. Box with a street address, a MailChimp account, and this handy how-to guide for setting up Groups in MailChimp and starting Automated Emails (welcoming new users and weekly blog updates)

For screenshot directions, check out the blog post at:
https://morganhazelwood.com/2019/02/07/how-i-finally-gave-in-and-set-up-my-own-newsletter/

Morgan's 2021 Retrospective

January 3rd, 2022  |  Season 4  |  23 mins 27 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips, year in review

This year was a lot. I've got some big news, I achieved some of my goals, I failed others, and I have fun with charts.

When Writing: How Curiosity, Spirit, and Opportunity Combine To Expose Humanity

December 20th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  11 mins 2 secs

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

Exploring humanity's brighter side, as seen through the Mars rovers.

Show, Don't Tell: Readers Don't Need Stage Directions

December 13th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  9 mins 21 secs

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

What are 'stage directions', why you don't need them, and how to fix it.

The Reward For A Job Well Done...

December 6th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  3 mins 12 secs

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

I think we all know what that means.

Strength Isn't Just For The Strong

November 29th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  9 mins 15 secs

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

Instead of my expected discussion of different types of strengths being compared to the default of physical strength, the panel these notes were based on veered into magical strength and stayed there.

5 Tips For Fighting Burnout: Learning Limits and Finding Gratitude

November 22nd, 2021  |  Season 3  |  10 mins 16 secs

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

1. Recognize your limits
2. Reassess Your Goals
3. Recognize Your Needs
4. Give Yourself Credit
5. Practice Gratitude

Using Unsafe Places to Propel Your Characters Forward

November 15th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  6 mins 57 secs

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

Places can be unsafe due to the environment itself, or because of the people in the place. Sometimes? Home is the unsafe place. And it can be unsafe because of external factors, or because of internal ones. And old age is a very unsafe place.

When fate is against you, no place is safe.

Gender 401 (for the writer)

November 8th, 2021  |  Season 3  |  8 mins 2 secs

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

Explaining gender, ways genre fiction can improve, authors who don't do badly, and things we could see more of. [Aimed at a cis audience - challenging us to do better for those whose gender identities weren't just handed to them at birth]