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”
Tag Archives: writing advice
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”
First vs. third Person Point of View
Hello and Welcome back to the blog! This is the first blog post written from my new home office, which is actually a corner of our master bedroom. My old office, located in the basement, is in the process of being transformed into a bedroom so our eight-year-old can have her own room, escaping herContinue reading “First vs. third Person Point of View”
The Ramblings of a Writer Part 4
Hello and welcome back to the blog! There isn’t much news on my front this week. I’m still writing a short story involving vampires, thanks to some interruptions over the past week. Querying continues as well. I had a few varying thoughts on my mind, so this week we’ll skip the topical blog post inContinue reading “The Ramblings of a Writer Part 4”
Plotter vs. Pantser
Hello and welcome back to the blog! Envie Magazine has named this blog the Blog of the Month for August. Check out the latest issue for an interview with yours truly at envie magazine dot com. The first draft of Breaking Character: A Grave Awakening is marinating for the next month or so, before IContinue reading “Plotter vs. Pantser”
Stephen Michael Roth 