One of the primary distractions from my writing is gaming. It’s a storytelling of a different kind, which I’ve enjoyed since I was a kid playing Atari 2600 or Apple ][c. Ask your parents. Or (sigh) grandparents. Like literature, it’s a media not immune to typos, but it also provides human interactions. So, between in-game […]
At a recent happy hour for a departing colleague and friend (aka Trusted Reader #3), the subject of my writing came up several times. I’m at the point where I enjoy this more than I once did. Part of it is comfort, part is the practice of refining my synopsis, and part is knowing more […]
If a person writes a book and no one reads it, is it still a book? Depending on your reason for writing, your answer will vary. I write for a variety of reasons – relaxation, brain exercise, practice my craft, gottagetthatdamnideaoutofmyhead – but I primarily write because I want to entertain people. It’s a need […]
Writing inspiration comes from everywhere. Looking out a window or considering how a person might react to a situation or watching your kids play. In this example, it came from the song “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls. “You bleed just to know you’re alive.” When I wondered what might cause a man to literally, not […]
I have a new routine to start my work day. It’s a chance to center my mind, while doing a little mental stretching to prepare it. Sometimes, the exercise relates to the office job; others, my personal writing. On Monday, it was the latter. It a last bit of preface, I’ll segue to a common […]
I’ve got a friend who’s been fighting depression, the kind of battle that needs all the encouragement we can muster. You can imagine my disappointment and anger when he posted that some people had sh** on his creative project, which was one of his outlets for dealing with his affliction. I’m tired of reading awful […]
Yeah, this is likely be the first of several posts in this category because I keep falling into traps of my own devising.
Since I post regularly on social media about my writing, people often ask me variations of the question, “What else have you written?” Unbeknownst to most people who know me, I’ve tried my hands at a number of projects.
I knew what I had to write; I just didn’t know which words to pick.
I originally assembled this list four years ago, and these tips are as true today as they were then.
The Lost Royals 