author & ghostwriter
Hi! I'm Emma Smith, the author of young adult novel 'Guided'. I self-published it at nineteen, and I'm so proud of my story and everything it represents. 'Guided' is about Macey Collins, a seventeen-year-old girl who is just navigating the world of being a teenager. But when she helps out at a camp one night … Continue reading Guest Post: Author Emma Smith
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 … Continue reading Joy in Editing
“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 … Continue reading What Goes, Goes
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 … Continue reading On Plot Holes
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 … Continue reading THE AUTUMN PRINCE: A Vella Serial
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 … Continue reading A June Update
We can't cover Dickens’ story with all its marvelous chapters in a blog post. Several biographies have been written about him, if you want to know more. However, in a blog post I can collect facts, adding color to the creator of Ebenezer Scrooge.
If you’ve chosen to take up a hobby and feel pathetic with your attempts, remember we are like babies when we start out.
While I did not make any resolutions this year, I did choose activities and pastimes to focus on. Previous years have seen me dedicated to writing, rewriting and editing the same story. While none of this work was a waste—the practice helped my writing style to improve—it left little room for other hobbies. In 2022 … Continue reading 3 Hobbies I’m Learning In 2022
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.
I decided to reread it after almost a decade and felt as if I were opening a new book. When a long time passes between rereads, you forget enough of a book for surprises become surprises again; magic regenerates and drama is fresh as ever.
L.M. Montgomery, writer of Anne of Green Gables, is a woman whose life was not what I had expected. Her life was marred by tragedy, yet she pressed on with her books.
Mariella Hunt 