Hello friends! As a reader, sometimes I don’t want a story to end. But tough luck, there’s only three books in the series and that last one came out years ago and the author has said nothing since. Until, one day, they do. I’ve mentioned the book Graceling by Kristin Cashore before. It was aContinue reading “On Patience”
Author Archives: belindam307
On Branching Out
Hello friends! As you may know, my current Big Project is a fantasy trilogy. I’m talking magic and castles and the like. However, I don’t write only fantasy. Over the years, I’ve tried my hand at various styles and genres, from playwriting to creative nonfiction. (Poetry and I are not friends, so my forays intoContinue reading “On Branching Out”
On Revision
Hello friends! Revision: that oft dreaded step in the writing process. Why is it so much more fun to spew your ideas out onto the page than to rework them until they make sense? As you’ve likely gathered by now, I’ve been working on Scion of Victory intensely for about three and a half years.Continue reading “On Revision”
On Love and Stuff
Hello friends! My name is Belinda, and I’m a sucker for a good romantic subplot. I’m not a big reader of romance, but give me a book of any other genre, with a romantic subplot and I’m set. The moment a potential love interest is introduced, my interest increases. However, I also prefer a storyContinue reading “On Love and Stuff”
On Authors and Influence
Hello friends! Like many millennials who liked to read growing up, I found my way to Harry Potter. Unlike a lot of fans, I didn’t read the full series until 2008, when every book was out. (I don’t like waiting!) I fell in love with the story and characters, as many readers before me did.Continue reading “On Authors and Influence”
On Stress, Mental Health, and Productivity
Hello friends! Let’s talk about mental health. When you’re giving so much of your energy to a creative project, it can be difficult to remember to take care of yourself, too. Or sometimes you get in a funk and creativity is hard. For me, being creative has always been a way I destress. Something badContinue reading “On Stress, Mental Health, and Productivity”
On Group Chats and Found Families
Hello friends! One of my favorite tropes, in life and fiction, has always been found families. I always found myself attracted to stories that explored that idea, like The Thief Lord and Maximum Ride. As I got older, I found that I was still really into the idea, and I started noticing the trend inContinue reading “On Group Chats and Found Families”
On Favorite Books
Hello friends! I want to tell you all about some of my favorite books. Reading is, obviously, very important to writing. Some of my favorite books, in no particular order, are: Coraline by Neil Gaiman. This was a favorite of mine growing up, and a recent reread made me realize that it is still great.Continue reading “On Favorite Books”
On the Importance of Writing Buddies
Hello friends! I think one of the most-widely circulated lies about writing is that it’s a solitary profession. I heartily disagree. If done right, it should not be solitary. Some days it’s hard to get a word out; some plot holes seem too big to patch up. But what can help both of those things?Continue reading “On the Importance of Writing Buddies”
On Setting and Worldbuilding
Hello friends! This week’s topic: setting and worldbuilding. I struggle with worldbuilding. I wonder if part of this has been my background in theatre; in playwriting, I put most of my focus on character and dialogue, leaving the set to the designers. Playwriting and novel writing are very different from each other in many ways,Continue reading “On Setting and Worldbuilding”
Belinda McCauley 