Stories & Articles
Upgrade your Writing Like an RPG Character
I'm struggling a bit with perfectionism. I'm self-editing my own book before I engage a professional editor. But I keep going in circles. See, I'm my own worst critic. And while many of my "inner circle" love my writing, I consider it to be just "okay." That is,...
Amazing Art
Sometimes a good story is born out of looking at intriguing art. Here are a few examples that I find inspiring. (If you're looking for a cover designer, consider looking into hiring these artists.) Do you have any art that can inspire a writer?...
Find Your Voice
I was recently asked about finding your "writer's voice" or how to develop a "writing voice." I thought I would share my answer here in this blog. A "writing voice" can mean different things depending on how you are thinking of the terms. When telling a story, the...
Check Out My Interview on the Mid-life Launch Podcast!
This week, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Kingsley Grant. It was a delightful experience and I was honored to be interviewed for his podcast. Honestly, it felt a lot like a therapy session and was completely awesome. If you haven't had a chance to check...
The Storyteller’s Song
I've found myself listening to some classic Billy Joel lately. In particular, The Piano Man. I've loved this song since I was a kid. I get choked up a little at this bit: Now John at the bar is a friend of mine. He gets me my drinks for free. And he's quick...
How to Love Dr. Who
A few years ago, my whole family embarked on a journey together. We started watching Dr. Who. We started with the newer series featuring Christopher Eccleston and continued watching up to the most recent Christmas special. It has become something of a love...
Conformity is for the Weak
I sat in a Mexican restaurant with my friend, late at night, drinking a beer. I told him about an idea I had and he remarked, "You take everything that everyone thinks is normal and turn it on it's head. You really are a nonconformist." I wear it like a badge of...
7 Reasons Toastmasters is Good for You.
I've mentioned before that I'm a member of Toastmasters International. You may be wondering why. Let me elucidate (I just used a word of the day on you). Members of Toastmasters have a built-in group of friends that they can rely on. If you're in a good club (and...
Why I’m No Longer a Star Wars Fan and Why I Want to Be
As you may have gathered from my earlier post about Star Wars AND Star Trek, I like Star Wars. In fact, there was a point in my life that I loved Star Wars and I considered myself a Star Wars Fan. But, I don't love it anymore and I don't consider myself a fan anymore....
Making Believable Characters
Making characters believable is hard. One technique to make characters believable is to give them flaws. Often, writers will use techniques like introducing moral, ethical or emotional flaws into their characters. But, there are other ways to make flawed characters....
Being An Author and a Gamer
Yeah, I play games. All kinds of games. PC RPGs, MMOs, table-top RPGs, the (very) occasional casual game, even bored games (yeah, I spelled it that way on purpose). I've been playing games all of my life. And, for much of my life, being a gamer came with a side of...
Editing is Murder
No, seriously it is. I'm not complaining about the process, just making an observation. Some of you know, I'm in the throws of editing my book, The Immense Center at the moment. The process requires me to Kill my Darlings. Yeah, you read that right, I have to Kill......