James Duckett

I think it was Michaelbrent Collings who once said that he doesn’t get writers block because so many things count as writing, such as going to see a movie or taking a walk in the park. Anything that “primes the pump”, so to speak, is writing.

I think there’s something to that. Most of the time we writers feel guilty if we’re not writing. But, truth be told, some of my best ideas or breakthroughs…

17 Ideas of How to Promote Your Book—Before and During Launch

Guest Post by Anna del C. Dye.

Anna del C. Dye was born in Valparaiso, Chile, amongst some of the world’s most famous beaches. After meeting Rodney, a native of Idaho, in her hometown, two years later, Anna traveled to Utah on Christmas Eve and married him two weeks later. Their love story, Why Him? was published by Covenant in the book entitled Angels Round About. Anna and Rodney reside in…

I just finished reading Dan Wells’ new novel, “Extreme Makeover”, which I knew going in was an apocalyptic thriller. But even had I not known, I would have almost immediately. Each chapter heading includes a countdown of how many days to the end of the world, starting at 276 days and working its way downward.

I can think of several reasons for this approach.

First, he may have wanted to make it…

I’m a Writer! But Now What?!?

Guest Post by Bunny Miner.

Bunny Miner is a retired elementary school teacher with several books to her credit. Bunny’s first book, ‘And So It Begins…’ hit Amazon’s top ten its first week out. When she’s not immersed in whatever fantasy world she is currently creating, she enjoys spending tie with her four crazy kids (who supply fodder for her stories), three needy dogs, one totally cute husband…

The Ultimate Visualization: Dream Parties

Guest post by Heather Horrocks.

USA Today bestselling author Heather Horrocks writes flirty romance with a touch of magic (Moonchuckle Bay, Chick Flick Clique, and Christmas Street), death with a laugh (Who-Dun-Him Inn and Bad Mothers Club), and inspirational (Women Who Knew). You can ask for notification of her next Dream Party (and also see her books, contact her, sign up for her newsletter and…

You think too much!

There’s a great quote from Montgomery Scott in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”:

The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.

It’s occurred to me lately that quote describes could explain what’s happened to my writing. Could it be there comes a point where thinking too much about your writing just gets in the way, makes writing harder than it should be, and…

Amazing Places and Where to Find Them: Passport Not Required

Guest Post by Lucinda Whitney.

Lucinda Whitney was born and raised in Portugal, where she received a Master’s degree from the University of Minho in Braga, in Portuguese/English teaching.  She lives in northern Utah with her husband and four children. When she’s not reading and writing, she can be found with a pair of knitting needles, or tending her herb garden. She’s the author of The Secret…

Rewriting: The Phoenix Effect

Guest Post by Frank Morin.

Frank Morin loves good stories in every form.  When not writing or trying to keep up with his active family, he’s often found hiking, camping, Scuba diving, or traveling to research new books. Frank lives in Oregon with his lovely wife and four kids, who are all brutal critics, but die-hard fans. For updates on his sci-fi time-travel thrillers, his popular Petralist YA…

I don’t usually take advice from a fish, but Dory’s “Keep swimming” is easy to remember–and easier to do than much of the advice I hear.

In many ways that has become the mantra of my writing this year. As most of you probably know, I’m not yet a published author–at least not to the level I’d like to be. I have to wonder sometimes…

Vague Vs. Ambiguous: Which are You Writing?

Imagine you sat down and started reading a story that opened like this.

“What are those people doing out here?” “I don’t know.” Poppy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. The woman was very old. Her sister took off her scarf and went inside. “How many days until Wind Set Day?” the prophetess asked. “Four, maybe five, perhaps,” she said.

How many people are in the story? Two? Four? What’s the…

Guest post by Vicki Hunt Budge.

Vicki Hunt Budge grew up in southern Idaho with a mother who read to her and a father who taught her how to golf and swim. She attended Idaho State University and the University of Utah. Vicki began writing for the Friend magazine when her children were young and she’s published many stories and articles for LDS church magazines since that time. She is the author…

We often hear about how every story needs a killer first line that hooks the reader and drags them into the story. But how often do we really stop and think about the opening lines we read? If you’re like me, you probably barely even notice them, and don’t remember them when you’re done with the next line, let alone the story.

So how do we learn to write great first lines? Well, one way is to…

How Long is a Story?

Guest Post by James Wymore.

James Wymore grew up on a heavy diet of movies and books that morphed his real life adventures into imaginary worlds. His published works span the fiction spectrum, including many different genres in the best-selling Actuator series. He’s an acquisitions manager for Immortal Works Press and can often be found at conventions running games with hundreds of players.

One…

Variations on a theme

By now many of you have seen the Marble Machine, a contraption built by a Swedish musician to play a complex tune with the turn of a crank. If not, take a listen/look here:

  Less known is that the group Wintergatan, of whom the musician/inventor is the leader, has also created a live cover of the same song. The machine itself isn’t…

Guest post by Laura L. Walker.

Laura L. Walker grew up in a large family in the beautiful Gila Valley of southern Arizona. From the time Laura was young, she spent hours drawing characters on paper and fantasizing about their adventures. Life became more serious, however, when Laura met her own hero and they eventually became the parents of six children. In between spurts of grocery shopping,…

When the time comes for young Anakin Skywalker to leave Tatooine to become a Jedi his mother tells him to go, and not look back. In the Bible when Lot and his family flee Sodom they are told to not look back. Every day we’re told to not dwell on the past.

Sometimes that’s good advice. But sometimes it’s good to look back, get some perspective, and see how far you’ve come. Dust off those old…