How would ______ do this? Three more questions to ask yourself when experiencing a creative block. . .

I knew I had an idea . . . I knew it was great, but where did it go? The blank screen had no answer for me, and only the sound of my cat meowing filled the air. What happened to that shiny object I was chasing? Luckily, I had an answer. This is the … Continue reading How would ______ do this? Three more questions to ask yourself when experiencing a creative block. . . →

Why 300 hours of writing seems like a good idea . . .

For the last two weeks, I worked on promoting and participating in a 7-Day Reading Challenge. This summer, I plan on challenging myself with an experiment that I call Minutes to a Better Book. This long-term experiment involves dedicating 300 hours towards writing my books. Here’s why I'm doing it: Why am I choosing … Continue reading Why 300 hours of writing seems like a good idea . . . →

7 Lessons I Learned From Hosting My First 7-Day Challenge, and What I’m Doing Next . . .

Today marks the end of the 7-Day Reading Challenge. At least, it marked an end to the official days. . . Here's what I learned from hosting a 7-Day Challenge over Twitter, Instagram, and WordPress, and what I plan on doing next.

A Note of Gratitude: On Surpassing 50 WordPress Followers . . .

This is a note of gratitude for readers of Paper Palaces and Curtis Writes Books.

When you have writer’s procrastination, try these five simple steps. . .

I sat down at my screen today wanting to write for my project, A Thousand Watchful Eyes. This resulted in the usual pattern of procrastination - surfing the internet, watching a video, writing notes about future projects, eating a snack... The list goes on. I have faced this dragon before, and I have defeated it many times over. When you don't feel like writing, try these five simple steps . . . *While these five steps work for Writer's Procrastination, you can apply the same method to any task. You just need to get creative with Steps Four and Five.

Protected: Short Stories, Maps, A Seven Day Reading Challenge, and My Cat (Behind-The-Scenes Clips for Patrons)

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Where is the most dangerous place for your characters to go? – Eight questions for building fictional worlds.

Building Fictional Worlds Part I: Setting and Characterization When building a fictional setting, the connection between your characters and the world they live could make or break the believability of your creations. Deepening the connection between the landscape and your characters is therefore very important.

Are you depleted of ideas, or do you just need to re-energize? Three questions to ask yourself when experiencing a creative block.

It was Saturday morning, and I stared at a half-written scene in the all-to-familiar agony of writer's block. My usual urge to craft a scene had left me, and my cat, Horton, made a bed of my forearms. The time had finally come to do something else.

An adventure in goal-setting lead to this realization…

I was behind on my promises, both personal and public. For the last twenty days, I have revamped my goals, improved how I follow through, and created habits to sustain a lifestyle that I enjoy, by taking a few simple steps. Too Many Goals, Not Enough Routine The truth is, I have too many … Continue reading An adventure in goal-setting lead to this realization… →

4 Stages of Writing: A plant-based approach to creating fiction

Crafting FictionI have a relationship with writing, and it's mostly good. Sometimes, I am consistent about creating chapters, and sometimes... I am not. Like all relationships, writing takes time, dedication, reflection, and care to stay healthy. I admire writers who have found systems that work for their writing processes. Personally, I try new strategies all … Continue reading 4 Stages of Writing: A plant-based approach to creating fiction →