Tag Archives: writing tip

5 Types of Books to Make You a Better Writer

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This is a re-blogging of a post I wrote a couple of years ago, but I believe the content continues to be valid. It’s said that writers should be readers – which is true – but just what exactly are we supposed to be reading? Here’s my take on books for writers:

A Craft of Writing Book

This is one category that I need to work on more. I’ve read a few books on the craft of writing, but it’s something that even the best authors can always get better at. If you want to get better at writing, then constantly writing is important – but a how-to writing book can help you strengthen your writing strengths, adjust your weaknesses, and point out mistakes you didn’t even realize you were making. Continue reading →

5 Google Tips for Authors

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The Internet is a writer’s friend. It can also be a writer’s enemy, though, if not used properly. Here are some tips that I try to use in my own writing habits to make the almighty Google work for me!

Research Names

Some time ago I got into the habit of researching proper names before I used them in a story, and I believe it’s a good habit to have. I think it’s especially important in contemporary or historical fiction, because it’s very easy to accidentally name your character after someone famous (that you didn’t know about, but that one of your readers most likely will). I also recommend doing it if you want a fictitious town (or road or school) in a real place; like, say, you want your characters to live in small-town Nebraska, but you don’t want to make said small town an actual real place. Go ahead and research cities, towns, and communities in Nebraska so that you don’t accidentally wind up setting your story in a real place that you will then mispresent because you thought it wasn’t real. Continue reading →

It’s Never Too Late to Get Organized

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Just a quick post today, and one that is mostly me preaching to myself.

Do you ever have detailed plans and goals that you’re working towards, and then you get distracted or derailed? A lot of different things can pull you away from pursuing your goals. In my case, over the past few months, I uprooted my life and moved across the country, bought a house, had family come visit right after I’d moved in, and so on. Yes, that’s just an excuse, I suppose, but at any rate, I’ve fallen a bit behind on my writing goals for the past few months. Continue reading →

The One Thing They Never Tell You About the Freelance Life

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Well, maybe this point has been covered by freelancers and entrepreneurs before. But if it is covered, then I don’t think it’s addressed enough. So what is this elusive, ill-addressed yet important factor of the freelance life?

The fact that it’s all in your head.

What I mean by that is that to be a successful freelancer or independent creative, you’ve got to have your brain in the game. And I don’t mean just for the knowledge of your industry – though obviously that’s important.

I’ve read dozens of blogs and articles about how to organize your time by setting timers, calendar notifications, or special apps. The same with organizing your budget to having an irregular income stream. Again, these are vital skills if you want to be a freelancer or otherwise self-employed.

But few people discuss the mental aspect of all of this. The organization and discipline really starts in your head. Continue reading →

Writing Historical Fantasy

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What is historical fantasy? Well, in my mind, historical fantasy is just what it sounds like: historical fiction with a fantastical twist. Just like contemporary fantasy or urban fantasy has a present-day setting but features magic, monsters, and other elements of fantasy – historical fantasy is the same, but just using a time and place from history as the setting.

Right now I am writing historical fantasy – specifically I’m writing dieselpunk or decopunk, stories set in the 1920s, but with magic and some advanced technology. I’m doing a lot of research, but I’m also doing a lot of world-building from scratch.

Here are some tips that I am applying to my own work, and that I think are important to consider if you want to start writing historical fantasy: Continue reading →