Tag: Writer’s Life
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Summer Vacation Pics
We’re super thankful to have had the opportunity to travel to the UK again this year. We got to catch up with family, sightsee with Kayla, and have an absolutely lovely time. And since our brand new passports cut the need for travel visas and our connecting flight brought us to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, we…
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Revive – Instagram Challenge
In a sunken hollow beneath myriad dust bunnies and cobwebs lies the bony remains of my author account on Instagram. My blog proves I can revive dead things (I spent loads of XP points on healing in the past few years š¤), so it’s only fair that I attempt the same revival on my author…
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Let’s Talk About Debut Novels
What is it about a debut that the world so adores? But not just any old debut, mind youāwe 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…
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Half-Year Life Update
This post is a triumph. After the longest-ever absence from my blog, I wrote to you on the 20th of February 2023 and committed to one new post every week. And I kept it up. We’re in July, and I’m still here. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but I’m coming to you live…
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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…
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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…
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Let’s Talk About Alpha and Beta Readers
But before we start, Iād just like to insert these disclaimers. Firstly, Iām 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…
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How I Name Them (Part 2-Characters)
Hello again! Welcome to part 2 of this naming convention series. If you’d like to read about how I chose place names, check out part 1 here. Let’s dive straight in, shall we? My first and most important criterion for a character name is pronounceability. It has to be easy to say, regardless of the…
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How I Name Them (Part 1-Places)
I did a whole podcast about this way back when I was still on Patreon. And, you know, podcasting. š ADHD, amirite? Anyway, a recent Instagram interaction with a reader made me realise I’d never actually written about how I name characters and places on the blog. Said reader’s best friend is named Cara Lenoir,…
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Reconnecting Creativity
Okay guys, it’s time to get real here. If you’ve been around the blog, you’ll have read all about my struggle with writer’s block and the burnout that caused it. I’ve tried to be as honest as possible about both things (without sacrificing my personal space) because I feel like I have the platform to…
Yolandie Horak 