Since March 2020, I actively decided to stop querying my book and take a break to make some very deep edits. I hired an amazing editor, (thank you Brianna!) and with her guidance, added a lot of depth to my story. I was invigorated and excited by everything I included until I looked at my … Continue reading Editing, and More Editing
Tag: writing
What to Read Next (Winter Edition)
Since the pandemic began more and more people have asked me for book recommendations. I’ve always considered myself a bit nerdy for being a book worm, but now reading is becoming the “it” thing to do. I read an article today that book sales are skyrocketing more than ever. If you’ve also jumped on the … Continue reading What to Read Next (Winter Edition)
Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places
I've been putting off writing a blog post, not because I don't want to, no, but because I've been having trouble figuring out what to write about. In the past, I used to get a glimmer of a blog idea when I was traveling or even on my commute to work. Now that I've been … Continue reading Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places
Improving My Writing
Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels It's been awhile since I've posted, but all for good reasons. In the beginning of 2020 I had been really stuck on my current book in progress, and I wrote a blog post about that exact topic. I had no idea what to do next and was trying to figure it all … Continue reading Improving My Writing
Staying Home
Photo by Kelly Lacy from Pexels Being forced to stay home and cancel social obligations should be a writer’s dream, but I’m actually finding it difficult to write. Uncertainty isn’t the best climate to spark creativity, and when I do try writing, it’s centered around doom and gloom (hence my last blog post) and not my upbeat, normal … Continue reading Staying Home
Writing in a Time of Chaos
After my self-doubt post, I enrolled in a Coursera class focused on the craft of writing. I have to say, I've already seen a difference. It really makes me contemplate word choice to ensure the desired effect. For this week's assignment I was tasked with writing a 500-600 word short story. As soon as I … Continue reading Writing in a Time of Chaos
“I doubt anyone will read this.” Thoughts on Self-Doubt
"Do you mind reading this blog post? It's probably not good anyways." Those are the words I uttered to my husband after I wrote a draft of this blog post, which is ironic since this post is all about self-doubt... Some days I open the manuscript or essay I wrote and think it's the best … Continue reading “I doubt anyone will read this.” Thoughts on Self-Doubt
New Year, New Goals
I'm a big fan of setting goals rather than resolutions for the new year. For me, resolutions are something I might do for the month of January and then when February rolls around, I usually forget they ever existed. Personally, I find it more meaningful to set goals for the new year that are attainable … Continue reading New Year, New Goals
Dealing with Rejection
Writers are no stranger to rejection. It's par for the course and something that is to be expected. Even though you know in the back of your mind that rejection is bound to happen, you still have grandiose dreams of being the sole exception. That vision that as soon as you send out your precious … Continue reading Dealing with Rejection
The Importance of Beta Readers
When I was a child, I shared my stories with my friends and family. Being naive, I thought everyone wanted to read my writing, and I even thought my stories were quite good. I was so confident in my writing that I even wrote stories for people as their Christmas gift; lucky them! I loved … Continue reading The Importance of Beta Readers
Diane Billas 