I love quotes. There are some quotes that I use when I meditate. There are some quotes I post throughout my office as inspiration. And all these quotes, to some extent, help me to understand me--my emotions, hurts, pains, happiness--and make me better. My most favorite quote is one that, literally, fits in EVERY SITUATION IMAGINABLE, and it comes from the late great tennis player and humanitarian, Arthur Ashe: In both a professional and personal manner, this quote wedges in and lifts me from the muck--whether that muck is not writing or living in our current world. image by pexels through pixabay SUD in the Professional For this example, I will use writing, specifically, writing this blog post. Start where you are . I'm in a space of insecurity. I don't know if I can be effective as a writer. If I want to be. If anyone would even care if I was. Lately (and by lately, I mean a really long time), I haven't had the energy or care to write--not in any sig...

That’s the slogan for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers most excellent summer NovelRama , a writing event sponsored by RMFW’s IPAL (independently published member writers) and open to writers everywhere who need encouragement, inspiration, camaraderie, a challenge, and a chance at prizes…and all from the comfort of your own home where you can work in your sloppy sweatpants and slippers (or any other venue and attire of your choice). Need a boost (aka a kick in the pants) to produce a lot of words in a small amount of time? Think about that novel that just needs a few more chapters but has been neglected while you toddle off to lunch with friends, binge watch a new series on Netflix, or procrastinate by cleaning house (yes, I’ve been doing all three). Doesn’t have to be a novel though. Maybe you want to write three or four short stories. Churn out the first draft of a novella. Whatever works for you works for NovelRama. Even if you can only participate one day or a few hours,...

There are many ways a writer could collaborate with readers, other writers, illustrators, and more. Friends and fans can form a writer’s launch team for a new book. Other authors who write in the same genre can form promo teams to blog or release book sets. Those who write books for children are especially likely to team up with illustrators. When the February theme for the Blood-Red Pencil turned out to be Partnerships, however, one collaborative effort popped into my brain from right here in Northern Colorado. Author, writing consultant, and publisher Kerrie Flanagan teamed up with artist and photographer Suzette McIntyre to create and publish three coffee table books. The project seemed a huge undertaking to me, so I contacted Kerrie and Suzette to see if they would share a few of their experiences. I started with Kerrie, asking her how the idea for these projects originated. “The idea for the books grew from a class Suzette and I did together on photography and poetry,...

Do you enjoy April Fool's Day? I admit, prank humor isn't my favorite. But I do love to laugh, and I particularly enjoy reading books of any genre that, somewhere in the course of the novel, make me shed a tear and make me laugh out loud. The best story characters will do that to you. I'm currently working my way through all the J.D. Robb In Death books, and every single title has dialogue between characters that makes me chuckle. Here's an example: "I vote the classic crime of passion." Peabody, once again wrapped up like a woman facing the Ice Age, walked out of the building with Eve. "Jewelry, cash, credits, plastic, electronics, fancy sports equipment still on premises, no sign of break-in, obvious signs of hanky-panky." "How does hanky-panky translate to sex? Who comes up with words like that?"  What are some books you enjoy for their touch of humor? Name an author who excels at comedy writing. Is there a certain type of hu...

My ninth Alafair Tucker mystery, The Return of the Raven Mocker , was just released in paper and as an e-book on January 3. And yet I’m already working on book ten. When I first began writing the Alafair Tucker Mystery series, I had a story arc in mind that was going to carry through ten books. This is a wonderful idea, but as anyone who has ever written a long series knows, after a couple of books all your plans for a story arc have gone by the wayside. The reason this happened, at least to me, is that I seem to be writing about real people who have their own ideas about how things should be gone about, and once I put them into a situation, they react to it in ways I had never anticipated. So much for a ten-book arc. Besides, I really want readers to be able to pick up any book in the series and have a satisfying experience without having to know anything about what went before. This poses the million dollar question for the author of a long series: How do you keep it fresh? Ho...

Dear friends, Every December, the Blood-Red Pencil editors take the month off, and we share with you previous popular posts. This year, we'll be doing the same, but we'll offer those links from our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please connect with us there. Wishing you all a peaceful and enjoyable December, filled with all the spirit of the season. We look forward to seeing you all in January, after a month of rest and renewal. With fondest regards, Dani Greer & Team

I teach various kinds of writing classes – how to write memoir, how to use historical detail in your writing, how to journal without self-judgment, and how to ghostwrite. I always start off any class with a five-step writing process, which works with any subject and any kind of project, from blog posts to books, memoir to self-help. I call it the Five Easy Pieces Process, partially because I love that movie. If Jack Nicholson were a writer, maybe he would follow these rules. Here are the bare essentials: Step One: Write everything you know, or think you know; everything you feel, or think you feel; everything you've done, or wish you'd done (or wish you hadn't done), everything you imagine, everything that pops into your head —in short, write everything. Basically this means: do not censor as you write. Editing comes later. Step Two: Read what you wrote, and look for the recurring themes or threads. I promise they are there. Look until you find them. Step Thre...

The most frightening thing about October is how fast time flies. It's almost November again, and time for another National Novel Writing Month . Here's an even scarier thought: I've participated for ten years and haven't finished one book I've started over there. How about you? But it really doesn't matter, because that ten years represents a portion of the 10,000 hours of writing practice I've put in for the past decade. More than that really, when you consider all my various jobs in the publishing industry, off and on over the decades. There are many people and tools I'm thankful for. I still remember the generosity of authors I met in person and over the phone so many years ago. Like the woman who told me to get a copy of The Writers Market . That changed my writing life for all time.  Then there's the hour I spent on the phone with Kathleen Burdick-Hague, while her husband, Michael Hague , signed at a Tattered Cover book eve...

BSP. Not sure what it is, then head over to the BookShop Blog for a good article about it - or at least one related to authors. Wikipedia hasn't caught up with us yet. This June, we're all about BSP for our resident bloggers and you'll get to learn much more about them and their publications. Join us throughout the month. Don't forget to connect with the Blood-Red Pencil on Twitter and Facebook too! We're going to practice BSP everywhere. How about you, readers? Are you into it or would you rather not do it? Leave us a comment.