The last few blog posts have been on the heavier side, so I thought I’d lighten it up. I’ve talked a lot about the lows of writing on these pages, but we can’t forget about the good as well. Here is my personal list of the greatest feelings of writing (that I’ve experienced): If youContinue reading “The Greatest Feelings of Writing”
Tag Archives: writing advice
Why I Self-Published & Why You Should Consider It
Hello! Welcome back to the blog. It’s been a while since I last posted, so I should probably give you an update. Reel Ghosts is available for purchase on Amazon (there’s a link in the Books tab on the menu). It’s part of the Kindle Unlimited program. If you’ve read it, an honest review wouldContinue reading “Why I Self-Published & Why You Should Consider It”
It’s Okay to be a Quitter
Last month, I stopped writing a novel mid-first draft. It was the first story I had quit in more than ten years. Was it a return of a much-maligned phase from my twenties, in which I seemed to quit more stories than I finished? Was my writing career over? Should I stop querying my novelContinue reading “It’s Okay to be a Quitter”
The Long & Short Game
Yesterday, I finished reading the first draft of my horror novel, tentatively titled Reel Ghost (not a typo but an intentional play on words). At 136K words, it’s far longer than any story I’ve tackled in my many years writing about fictional people doing fictional things. No doubt it will go on a diet duringContinue reading “The Long & Short Game”
When Plans Change
As I write this I’m sitting propped up in bed, listening to midnight waves crash on the beach while my wife sleeps soundly beside me (I didn’t use the word snore, but thought it). Even on a family vacation the need to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard is a strong one. WhenContinue reading “When Plans Change”
Staying Focused
At the end of this past summer my middle child moved out of the upstairs bedroom she shared with her younger sister and into what had been my downstairs office. With the room taken over by an eight-year-old, my office moved into a corner of our master bedroom. I did get a new desk outContinue reading “Staying Focused”
The Pros & Cons of Genre Hopping
The act of genre hopping is a hotly debated topic when brought up on social media. Some are strongly for a writer’s creative freedom, while others feel writers should stick to a single genre. First, I would like to differentiate genre hopping from the simple act of switching genres, as the latter is a singularContinue reading “The Pros & Cons of Genre Hopping”
It’s a Story, Not a Procedural!
Hello and welcome back to the blog! There’s nothing new to report that I won’t be covering at some point in the post. In my last post, I had an absurdly long introduction. Today, it’s short and sweet. I’d like to talk about an aspect of the story that I recently realized was missing fromContinue reading “It’s a Story, Not a Procedural!”
Where Do Ideas Come From?
Hello and welcome back to the blog! Yes, I’m back after taking a break from the blog for a month or so. Why the break? Honestly, I’ve been thinking a lot about making a change in my writing. This blog is approaching its one-year anniversary and hasn’t had the reception I had hoped. Yes, growthContinue reading “Where Do Ideas Come From?”
Following Tropes
Hello and welcome back to the blog! I spent time querying both last week and this week. I have now sent thirty-five query letters to literary agents regarding From Darkness Comes… and have received twenty-nine noes without a single full manuscript request to bolster my outlook. Look, I try to keep positive about my writing—andContinue reading “Following Tropes”
Stephen Michael Roth 