Top 10 Things to Do at a Writers' Conference
Within a couple of hours of this post going up, I’ll be driving up to Dallas to attend the DFW Writers’ Conference. Talk about a Deep-Fried Friday for me. I expect this weekend to be better than a plate of beer-battered…
Why Grammar Matters in Your Book
I’ve been called a Grammar Nazi, a grammar geek, a grammar freak, a grammar nut, the grammar police, and a stickler. What they say behind my back, I don’t know. I’m not that bad. I don’t critique tweets, personal emails,…
Kayak or Cruise Ship? How do you want to write?
Welcome to Deep-Fried Friday — when I plunge into whatever topic seems juicy and crunchy and ready for devouring. Today’s topic is about how you want to write. I never used to read the Acknowledgments section in a novel. Now that I…
Commitment & #ROW80
So TV expert and fab writer Tiffany A. White recently gave her television show recommendations by night of the week. Her pick for Wednesday was Revenge — an ABC show about a “young woman who is welcomed into a community…
I Know I Should Follow Your Blog But…
Welcome to Deep-Fried Friday, where my taste tends toward juicy and crispy thoughts. You’ll have to tell me whether today’s is more juicy or crispy to you. Last week, I wrote two days on my young adult novel. There are…
A (Mostly) Pantser Tries Plotting
Sometimes, it feels like a scene from West Side Story where two rival gangs meet in the dark alley and – after dancing around for a little while – square off for the fight. Who is the better gang? The…
So Writer, What’s Your Day Job?
Instead of talking about books today, I’m talking about writers! Actually, about writers before they could pay the bills as writers. When people ask me what I do now, I respond that I am a writer. If they probe about…
Monday Musings: Happy without a Housekeeper
As I got crouched down and scrubbed the bottom of my toilet bowl, I thought about how a lot of people hate to clean stuff. We like having things clean . . . but cleaning them ourselves is altogether different.…
Monday Musings: Research & Reconnaissance
My friend (call her Susie Q) and I walk into the Houston International Boat Show to see all kinds of marine vessels displayed around the large convention hall. One of the first things I notice is that these events are…
Monday Musings: The Versatile Blogger Award
My sincerest thanks to the talented Tracey Hansen who nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award. I strongly encourage you to visit her at her blog, Tracey Hansen Will Write for Food. Tracy’s razor-sharp wit is either the stuff of…