Writing Tips and Writerly Musings

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.

Getting -- and Staying (Traditionally) Published

October 17th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  19 mins 19 secs

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

All writers who want to share their work with the world want to be published. Some want to self-publish while others would prefer to have the backing — and distribution — of a publishing house.

At the titular panel at WorldCon 2019, George Sandison, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Rachel Winterbottom, E.C. Ambrose, and Michelle Sagara talked about the realities of traditional publishing — when you’re not an A-list author.

The Importance of Kindness

October 10th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  11 mins 44 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, kindness, worldcon77, writers, writing, writing tips

These days, people prioritize a lot of things. Truth. Honesty. Maximizing share holder wealth. But there is something that seems undervalued — often described as a tool of the weak by those who are so inclined. But they’re wrong.

Today, I’m talking about the importance of kindness.

At the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Corinne Duyvis, Geoff Ryman, Claire Light, and Vanessa Rose Phin shared their thoughts about the true importance of kindness.

Portrayals of Mental Health In Genre Fiction

October 3rd, 2022  |  Season 5  |  13 mins 32 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, mental health, worldcon77, writers, writing, writing tips

Portrayals of people with mental illnesses have come a long way. From variety to accuracy to ending stereotypes.

In the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Alasdair Stuart, Penny Jones, Dr. Glyn Morgan, and Devin Madson, discussed who gets it right… and who gets it wrong.

Authors and Social Media: Friend or Foe

September 26th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  24 mins 23 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, social media, worldcon77, writers, writing, writing tips

Authors get a lot of mixed advice when it comes to social media. Let’s talk about different author approaches and tips and tricks to make social media work for you. In this post, I’m combining notes from two panels.

From the titular panel, Francesca T. Barbini, Gareth Powell, and Georgina Kamsika discussed if social media was our friend… or our foe.

And in Social Media: Tips and Tricks, Brenda Noiseux, Stevie Finegan, Lydia Gittens, and Pablo Defendini shared their experience with us.

Down the Rabbit Hole: The Appeal of Portal Fantasy

September 19th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  6 mins 41 secs

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

Portal fantasy has always been popular. From tales of fairy circles to Narnia, we’ve always enjoyed watching people from familiar places enter fantastic realms.

At the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Seanan McGuire, Vina Prasad, Genevieve Cogman, and Kathryn Sullivan discussed what it was about portal fantasy that kept people coming back for more.

In the Background: Class in YA Fiction

September 12th, 2022  |  Season 5  |  12 mins 6 secs

beta-reading, books, class, critique, worldcon77, writers, writing, writing tips, ya

In the real world, the social class we come from can have far-reaching consequences into our lives: from the jobs we hold, to the things that worry us, to our long-lasting health. Getting class, and its consequences right, can be tricky to do.

In the titular panel at WorldCon2019, Marieke Nÿkamp, Avery Delany, Caroline Hooton, and Victoria Lee discussed the ways their class upbringing compared to their current social class, and the implications inherent in that.