Tag: Writing Life
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Tips for Changing Genres
I grew up reading Tolkien, Lewis, and Eddings, and if you read my work, you can see how those OG wizards influenced my writing. I tend to tell a slower story—the intrigue unfolds in increments. And that’s okay because I write epic fantasy, and we expect a fair amount of world-building and setting up from…
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How To Implement Feedback
Welcome back to this accidental mini-series on beta reading feedback, reviews, and handling said feedback. The past four weeks have really been one of Bob Ross’s happy little accidents. We talked about: Today, we’ll chat about implementing feedback. How do we dissect our beta readers or editors’ comments, figure out what they mean, and find…
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Medical Resources for Writers
If you’ve ever had a character stabbed or shot and bleeding, this post is for you. Disclaimer: there is medical content in this post. If you might find that triggering, please stop reading now. “We must take out the bullet, Jack.” Jack poured rum over Mary’s wound. “You hold her down, I’ll cut it out.”…
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Three Easy Steps to Deep Point of View
Want to level up your writing? Want to connect with your readers? Want to submerge in your character’s mind? The good news is that all three things are super achievable in three easy steps. I’m serious! The title isn’t clickbait, just a tried and trusted method to grow as a writer. All we need to…
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2024 Goals
We’re officially in that strange transition period where our fingers always go for the 3 instead of the 4 when we type the year. 🤣 Hello, folks, and welcome to 2024! I hope it’s a good one. As always, I’d like to start my yearly blogging journey with some goals. This post will come to…
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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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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. 😆 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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Let’s Talk About Writer’s Block
Throughout my blogging years, I’ve often stated boldly, annoyingly, and stupidly that I don’t believe in writer’s block. And as you’ve probably guessed, that little nugget has come back to bite me in the ass. 🤣 After almost two years of being utterly unable to write, I have to admit my mistake. Writer’s block is…
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A Writing Update
So, I mean, we all know there was supposed to be another book by now. The crickets that used to hang around A Curse of Venom & Scales have either died or moved along to chirp in some other tardy writer’s office. 😅 And I’m lucky to have a really supportive group of readers, who…
Yolandie Horak 