When doing revisions to a novel, it’s important for writers to be consistent. What does this mean in terms of spelling for words such as “Alright” vs “All Right” when writing exposition or dialogue? According to various online dictionaries, it appears “All Right” was the original spelling. “Alright” has worked its way into our slang. … Read more
In my previous post on the Five Stages of Writing, I mention Discovery, Writing, Revisions, Production and Marketing. Currently, I’m in the Discovery Stage for my next Keri Armstrong mystery. This is the process by which you discover your story. This prep time can take weeks or months, so be sure to factor this in … Read more
Coffee Time Romance is a reader site that offers book reviews, author interviews, blogs, and more. Skip the crowds, skip lines, and win prizes during their Annual Black Friday/Cyber Monday Blog Event on Nov. 28 & Dec. 1st. Check out my post on “Truth or Fiction” – When writing a novel, authors may base fictional … Read more
It’s uncanny how our fictional stories can sometimes relate to events in the news. Some mystery writers will purposefully include social issues and current news topics in their stories. For others, like me, it may be coincidental. [Spoiler Alert] In MURDER PAYS A CALL featuring personal concierge Keri Armstrong, I introduce a character who had … Read more
Story magic can happen unexpectedly when a plot twist or new character invades your writer’s mind. In this instance, it’s good to seize the moment and scribble down notes before you forget your spark of inspiration. Such an event happened to me the other evening as I was contemplating Hanukkah Hairloom Mystery, my next Bad … Read more
Writers can easily end up in a muddle at the middle of their story. The direction forward becomes unclear, and you’re not sure that what you have plotted so far will reach your projected word count or come to a satisfactory conclusion. This means it’s time to reassess what you’ve done so far. When you … Read more
As a writer, setting goals each year gives us a path to follow. Each item we cross off our list provides a sense of accomplishment. Last year, I felt I hadn’t done much since my last novel release, Star Tangled Murder, came out in March 2023. While there were reasons for this lag, I accomplished … Read more
What is the difference between Story versus Plot? A plot gives you the bones and structure for a novel, while the story is actually what takes place. Unless you’re a full-on Pantser, you won’t start the writing process until you have an outline or synopsis for what will occur. Before I begin writing a novel, … Read more
We make plans, and the Fates laugh in our face. Life can change like a flash of lightning. In one of my 2024 initial posts this year, I set my writing goals and then said… Of course, the best laid plans often go awry. Who knows what the universe has in store for us?” Little did … Read more
It’s advisable for mystery writers to give each character a secret that may or may not relate to the murder victim. This makes them suspicious in the sleuth’s viewpoint until she can unravel what it is they’re hiding. In Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas recent TV movie on Lifetime channel, five former soap … Read more