Writing
-
Joy in Editing
I had forgotten that editing can be fun. Once I’ve moved past the stinking mess that is a first draft, edits & rewrites become puzzles–very personalized puzzles. When adding new scenes, I’m figuring out what the story lacks; I’m filling gaps for character development, making conversations meaningful, using words to increase tension. When adding/removing words…
-
What Goes, Goes
“The trees have begun to let go.” There is no immediate response, as tea is being set. I watch as Grandmother arranges plates, cups, spoons on the old dining table. She has left the window ajar; through it drift scents of rest, of nature preparing to slumber. Drops of dew from occasional rain. Pinecones gathering…
-
Pre-Order THE UNDERGLOW by Teshelle Combs
Aurelie Kendrick hasn’t spoken a word since she was a young girl. Lucky for her, vampires, known in her world simply as “pyres” like Alexander don’t speak either. But in a dark world where pyres are enslaved, forced to drink the blood of their masters, can the speechless find a voice?
-
On Plot Holes
Plot holes are a constant threat in every manuscript. When writing a serial, I have found that, at least for me, it’s easier to forget what’s been written before. When I add a significant object or event, I try to work out a good place where it can be resolved before I forget it. It’s…
-
THE AUTUMN PRINCE: A Vella Serial
I discovered this year that shifting focus clarifies a story. I’ve been toying for a while with the idea of putting THE AUTUMN PRINCE on Vella; I even dreamed of it once (too much?) but didn’t trust in my ability to do so without crossing from editing to rewriting. THE AUTUMN PRINCE can be read…
-
A June Update
Kindle Vella has taken over my life. More specifically, this story has taken over my life. I’ve never been very good at writing endings to novels. I’ve always wanted to tell a story in serial form like Dickens; I never imagined how addicting it can be. 34 chapters have passed since I announced that The…
-
Why Did I Publish The Sea Rose?
The Sea Rose is my baby; it is the world to which I’ve escaped for almost six years. It’s seen many characters, lost them, been rewritten, given up on, and given a second point of view.
-
3 Creative Ideas For Your Bullet Journal
When opening your new dot-grid journal, make sure you’re not out to copy others. It should be a source of inspiration, a promise that you’re about to chronicle your year while expressing your own creativity.
-
My Resolution For 2022
If I had to pick a word to savor in 2022, it would be slow. Does that sound odd to you? By slow I mean to pause and hear the silence—to stop measuring my life by what I have not done yet and what I mean to do—to read a book without caring about the…
Mariella Hunt & the Tearoom 