BernadetteMichael about writers, about writing, editing, first draft, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing space, writing tip, writing.....

The Unicorn Method to Editing (which I just made up)

I don't know about you other writers out there, but editing stories is not my favorite part of the process. Which is not that great since a large chunk of the writing process is editing. I just really love drafting. I love writing without worrying about the content. I have freedom to write whatever comes out. … Continue reading The Unicorn Method to Editing (which I just made up)

BernadetteMichael about writers, about writing, editing, first draft, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

How Long Should You Step Away from a Writing Project?

How long should you step away from a writing project? It's common advice to take breaks from projects. You finish a first draft and put it in a drawer for a while before looking at it again. If you are frustrated with something you step away from it for a while. But what's a while??  … Continue reading How Long Should You Step Away from a Writing Project?

BernadetteMichael about writers, about writing, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing routine, writing tip, writing.....

Should You Treat Writing like Work?

Should you treat writing like work?  First, there are a few questions you need to answer: Do you want be published? Do you want to make a career out of writing? Is this your calling? If you have answered yes to any of those questions (or all three), then yes, you should treat writing like … Continue reading Should You Treat Writing like Work?

BernadetteMichael about writing, novel, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip

Should You Write Short Stories Before You Write a Novel?

(Why cacti in the header photo? WHY NOT.) When I started to write (way back when I was wee), I wanted to write novels. So, that is what I did. I wrote novels. (They weren't actually full length novels. I was a child, and with that comes the attention span of a sparrow when there are … Continue reading Should You Write Short Stories Before You Write a Novel?

BernadetteMichael about writers, Uncategorized, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

“Am I Writer?” We’re Asking the Question the Wrong Way

"Am I a writer?" can seem like a really harsh question that will send you down the spiraling slide of doom into an endless loop of despair. But it is a legit question. The problem lies with how we are asking it. If you are considering writing as a career (or your calling, as I would … Continue reading “Am I Writer?” We’re Asking the Question the Wrong Way

BernadetteMichael about writing, first draft, novel, Oh, Wonder Why the Sun Fell, plot, plot holes, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

Boo! Pick a Plot Line (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and my own dumpster fire WIP)

In which we talk about two things that could not decide on a plot line: a recent first draft of mine and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Let's start off with Fallen Kingdom, given you probably have more knowledge of it than my first draft (considering like...no one has read it). This is the progression of the … Continue reading Boo! Pick a Plot Line (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and my own dumpster fire WIP)

BernadetteMichael about writing, character, fantasy, villains, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

Villains: Why Not Just Plain Evil?

As I started writing my Beowulf retelling back in October, I had a question about one of my antagonists. "Can't he just be a plain, evil villain? Like, he was never a good guy just always evil? Just be an evil being?" And I decided: Why not? Now, I have other antagonists, those of whom … Continue reading Villains: Why Not Just Plain Evil?

BernadetteMichael literary magazines, publishing, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

Researching Literary Magazines and Contests

If there's anything I know about publishing (besides the fact that I haven't been published yet), it's about researching for literary magazines and contests. Originally, I started off trying to get poetry published when I was the wee age of 12(ish). While I had a very slim (like, -01%) chance of getting published in Poetry magazine, … Continue reading Researching Literary Magazines and Contests

BernadetteMichael about writers, about writing, beginnings, editing, endings, Uncategorized, When the Crows Murdered the Moor, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing tip, writing.....

End of a Journey: Finishing a Writing Project

THE END No, this is not the end of the blog post. I am just pointing out that those are the two most satisfying words to write. THE END I just thought I would do it again to feel how good it felt. But as much as I like writing those words, I know (as … Continue reading End of a Journey: Finishing a Writing Project

BernadetteMichael about writing, books, reading, Uncategorized, writers, writers life, writing, writing advice, writing routine, writing tip, writing.....

“Should You Read When You are Writing?”

"Should you read when you are writing?" This is a common writer question. Will reading a book influence your writing and hence forth ruin it? Will you automatically start plagiarizing? WILL THE WORLD END AS WE KNOW IT??? I'm not here today to talk about principles, about the dangers of plagiarizing, or the effect outside … Continue reading “Should You Read When You are Writing?”