Maria's Journal

Most writers have distinct writing styles and we all develop unique techniques over the years. And yet as particular as most of us are about our writing in general authors do adhere to a few common practices . Whether or not you’re conscious of it all writers follow a natural drafting process. Let’s take a look at a popular process thread among fiction writers: 1. The beginning This is the spark that point of initial idea, the inspiration, that moment when we think, “Hey, this could be a book!”   2. First draft This is the writer’s initial stab at plotting the story from beginning to end. 3. Cool-off period This is when most writers take a little time off (anywhere from a few days to a few weeks) to separate themselves from the book physically and emotionally. 4. Second draft This is when some of the major issues about the story (i.e. plot problems, continuity errors, character development, etc.) are corrected to make the book presentable for a cri...

By its very nature, writing is deeply introspective work. When in the ‘groove’ writers can easily spend eight to ten hours writing non-stop and when the writing gets good, even more. Now, we all know that making time for writing is important, but being glued to the keyboard for days at a time with no social interaction can certainly wreak havoc on our physical and emotional health. Conversely, lack of physical activity and isolation often contribute to depression, weight gain, and poor productivity. So what's a writer to do? While it is necessary for us writers to immerse ourselves in our work we do need to be self-aware and recognize unhealthy triggers. As long as writing has been a profession many well-established authors have held down outside jobs and managed to successfully juggle writing, work and family responsibilities. It is a very delicate balance, but it can be done. Here are three top tips writers can adhere to for a healthier and happier life: Break...

Recently, I had a conversation with a fellow writer about different writing styles. We talked about how some writers can simply sit down on a computer and write on command; I cannot. My pre-writing process can take me ten, fifteen, twenty minutes or more and it usually involves me ‘getting in to character’; I need to connect with the hero and heroine before I can delve into their lives. It is then when I’m emotionally attached that ideas begin to form I’m able to capture the thoughts and the scenes and the story begins to unfold. I can tell you that when I begin to write a story, I too experience the same nervousness that a lot of writers feel. Will anyone read my stuff? Will anyone care about what I have to say? This is the fretful process of a writer, yet, we, I, push forward and write with excitement, optimism, and a lot of discipline. On an amusing note (or maybe not so) one thing that we, writers, often encounter is that non-writers tend to think that writing is easy....

“There isn't a perfect time to start writing.” Have you ever heard this statement before? I’m sure you have, in fact most writers have heard it before. Perfect timing is elusive and can hardly be anticipated. When I look back, I realize that my writing journey led me to many opportunities, yet I passed them up because I was too busy designing my life, thinking I had to find the proper time to write. The truth is that we can write at any time. Even if you have a day job, children, or even volunteer if you budget it right you can still find time to write each day. Whether it is writing a paragraph, a page, or ten pages, you  can   write. If you've considered holding off writing until your child starts school, or until your daughter graduates from middle school, or until your son heads off to college you will find that there will always be situations that will prompt you to postpone writing. Now, if you suddenly find yourself pondering about all the things you...

Just sharing great information with my fellow writers! Top twenty things one MUST do to become an awesome writer in no particular order as long as you're actively working on all twenty :) 1.       Become an active blogger (don’t have a blog, start one now!). 2.       Use self-imposed word count per hour, per day. 3.       Accept all forms of criticism and learn to grow from it. 4.       Edit, edit, and edit again. 5.       Live passionately! 6.       Write without distractions (and yes, that means no Internet). 7.       Listen to how people talk. 8.       Read lots of books, both good and bad. 9.       Avoid passive voice. 10.   Limit the use of adjectives and adverbs. 11.   Make writing a priority. 12.   Keep squeezing words out even if you feel uni...

Okay, so we write smut, that much is a given, but do you ever find yourself asking "Okay, so I write romance, but in what category does my writing really fall under?" Well here's my quick and dirty rendition of some of the most popular sub-genres in modern day romance. I know some of you will disagree with these descriptions, but IMO these are pretty much on the money. Erotica Erotica contains minimal if any emotional attachments between the leading characters. Erotica is also sexually explicit (language) and the plot is driven by the sexual relationship/s. The sex in erotica can also take on different aspects, including dominance, bondage, voyeurism, poly-amorous relationships, and so forth. The story may/may not have HEA for the characters and if the story does include HEA it might not be in the traditional romance sense. Erotic Romance Erotic romance exists when the story line contains a love story. Erotic romance is romantic just as it is sexually explicit. In ...

Flash fiction has been around for many years (reportedly since the early 1990’s), but has become increasingly prevalent in the literary community in the last five to seven years. Once regarded as ‘lazy’ work flash fiction is now considered quite the opposite: intellectually challenging storytelling. So big in popularity is this flash fiction that in modern day, dozens of literary publications (both print and online) have shifted their focus to include flash fiction and in many cases exclusively feature works in flash fiction format. Note : other names for flash fiction are short-shorts, short story, micro fiction, novelette, postcard, pocket-size story, and minute-long story. What is flash fiction? Flash fiction is a short form of storytelling defined by the number of words and/or sentences, which of course differ from writer to writer. All in all, flash fiction is any writing material more than 75 words up to 1,500 words, some flash fiction writers stretch the limit as f...