Tag: Let’s Write

• Let’s Talk About Debut Novels

  

  What is it about a debut that the world so adores? But not just any old debut, mind you—we want a newcomer with a story of runaway success and broken, no shattered, records. The debut novel must tick all the boxes: perfect characters, compelling storylines, breathtaking descriptions, an endless list of awards, and impending movie…

  Yolandie Horak

  July 17, 2023

  Writing

  A Study of Ash & Smoke, Better Writing, Common Writing Mistakes, Debut, Debut Novel, First Novel, Indie Writers, Let’s Write, My Writing Process, New Adult, New Adult Fantasy, New Beginnings, New Book, New Experiences, New Title, Personal, Stuff for Writers, The Physician’s Apprentice, Why I Write, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writing

• Let’s Talk About Setting

  

  Have you noticed how an increasing number of authors are breaking away from the Eurocentric worlds associated with speculative fiction? It has been super refreshing to read mainstream books set in magical, faraway places that are totally different than what we’ve grown used to. But now I question why I automatically default to those pseudo-European…

  Yolandie Horak

  June 12, 2023

  Writing

  Better Writing, Let’s Write, Setting, Setting in Books, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Community, Writing Journey, Writing Life, Writing Process

• Let’s Talk About Sensitivity Readers

  

  Picking up from where we left off last week (which was all about alpha and beta readers), we’re going to chat about sensitivity readers today. Please be aware that THERE MIGHT BE POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING CONTENT IN THIS POST. About Sensitivity Readers A sensitivity reader is someone with experience on a certain topic who will offer…

  Yolandie Horak

  May 8, 2023

  Writing

  Alpha and Beta Readers, Alpha Readers, Alpha Reading, Beta Readers, Beta Reading, Buddy Write, Dragon Writers, Let’s Write, Sensitivity Readers, Skolion Writers, Stuff for Writers, Working with Sensitivity Readers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writing

• Let’s Talk About Alpha and Beta Readers

  

  But before we start, I’d just like to insert these disclaimers. Firstly, I’m not a writing coach or anything like that, just a writer who loves learning about writing and sharing my experiences with everyone who is interested. Secondly, writers view alpha and beta teams vastly differently. Some swear by alpha and/or beta teams, others…

  Yolandie Horak

  May 1, 2023

  Writing

  Alpha and Beta Readers, Alpha Readers, Alpha Reading, Beta Readers, Beta Reading, Better Writing, Buddy Write, Dragon Writers, Indie Writers, Let’s Write, My Writing Process, Resources, Skolion Writers, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing

• Let’s Write PTSD

  

  Updated in 2022 I touched a slight bit on PTSD in the Let’s Write Fear post, but I figure this is a complex emotional state and needs more detail. This is a post about how traumatic events might influence characters, which means traumatic events will be mentioned. Not in detail, but they’re there. Please don’t…

  Yolandie Horak

  August 18, 2020

  Writing

  Anxiety, Character Development, Emotions, Let’s Write, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, Resources, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing, Writing Advice, Writing Emotions, Writing Life, Writing PTSD

• Let’s Write Confidence

  

  It’s so good to be back in the swing of things with a writing post, especially one that adds to the Let’s Write Series. Now, I see you doing a double take there. Didn’t this used to be called the writing emotions series? It did, but then I had so many ideas to add to…

  Yolandie Horak

  January 15, 2019

  Writing

  Better Writing, Confidence, Let’s Write, Resources, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writers’ Resources, Writing, Writing Confidence, Writing Emotions

• Let’s Write – Travel in Writing

  

  Quick fact—the average horse and the average person can travel about the same distance per day. And I know you’re thinking, ‘Okay, great, but how is that relevant to writers?’ Well, our characters move around. A lot. And for those of us who write fantasy, much of said movement will happen on horseback. We don’t…

  Yolandie Horak

  August 8, 2018

  Writing

  Horses, Let’s Write, Realistic Travel Distances, Resources, Stuff for Writers, Travel, Travel by Horse, Walking, Walking Distances, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing

• Let’s Write Joy

  

  If you’re here for the first time, I’ve been writing a series of posts on the body language of various emotions, so authors have a quick reference when they get stuck writing diverse characters. It’s so easy to fall into the same old repetitive action tags. I can’t tell you how many times I used…

  Yolandie Horak

  August 1, 2018

  Writing

  Better Writing, Emotions, Joy, Let’s Write, Resources, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing, Writing Emotions, Writing Joy

• Let’s Write Fear

  

  From a fright when the spider lands on your arm, to being scared of the weird guy on the blind date, to full-blown terror when a dragon sticks its head out of the cave and you left your sword at home, fear is one of the most complex emotions that we’ve all had to deal…

  Yolandie Horak

  July 4, 2018

  Writing

  Anxiety, Better Writing, Emotions, Fear, Let’s Write, Resources, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing, Writing Emotions, Writing Fear

• Let’s Write Excitement and Nerves

  

  Welcome to part three of the Writing Emotions series! You can check out the others here, and come back in two weeks for the next part. Today we’re chatting about nervousness and excitement. Since these amount to the same thing in terms of body language, I figured I’d group them. Of course, there are some…

  Yolandie Horak

  June 20, 2018

  Writing

  Emotions, Excitement, Let’s Write, Nerves, Nervousness, Stuff for Writers, Writer, Writer’s Life, Writers’ Resources, Writing, Writing Emotions, Writing Excitement, Writing Nervousness