Nanowrimo is almost here. It’s one of several excuses to sit down and plow through a manuscript. Many go in completely blind and many others spend time before preparing as much as they can. I’ve tried both routes over the years and I’ve found pros and cons of each. There are things you can do … Continue reading NaNoWriMo prep
September Writings
It's been a busy September, with three weeks of work travel since my last post (currently writing this from an Air BNB). I still plan on finishing up a post about Scythe when I get time. For now, here's a status update for the past month: What I Read Reading's important. Here are the books … Continue reading September Writings
yWriter6: Marking “Bad” Words Automagically
I’m pretty dedicated to Scrivener, but once in awhile I like to try out the other options and see what I can find. When I found this neat trick while working on yWriter6, I had no choice but to share. One feature I didn’t like originally about yWriter6, but that grew on me over time, … Continue reading yWriter6: Marking “Bad” Words Automagically
Conference Takeaways From WDC18
This past weekend I attended the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference. It was my first writing conference, and I learned a lot from the presenters, panelists, and the other attendees. I’ll start off with valuable advice I received and then talk about my personal experience. Takeaways from the Conference Writing Process This section has more to … Continue reading Conference Takeaways From WDC18
Pacing, Vague Feedback, and State Change
Pacing is the most consistent issue I see whenever I beta read a story, and while it’s difficult to master, it’s pretty easy to identify when it goes wrong. But when someone says the “pacing is off” in your book… What does that even mean? How do you fix it? First of all, let’s break … Continue reading Pacing, Vague Feedback, and State Change
[Fiction] Violet Eyes
This post is a demonstration of the topics presented in: Why Setting Matters Storytelling Through Minor Characters Consequential Worldbuilding You don't need to review those topics to enjoy this work, though they do offer some insight into the motivations for this piece. Violet Dyes Author Todd Beckman Genre Adventure Word Count 1800 Violet. Nothing but … Continue reading [Fiction] Violet Eyes
“I Paid My Life For This” Seal Of Approval
Last time, I promised some flash fiction. Don't worry, that's been written and I'm getting feedback from my writing group before posting. This week’s post is my hand at nonfiction: a value system focused on minimizing regrets. Often, motivational advice and value systems tend to give instruction around seeking happiness. While the intentions are agreeable, … Continue reading “I Paid My Life For This” Seal Of Approval
