Ah, here it is again, that blank slate I've missed so much. Nope, you're not seeing things. I'm back! To all who have just found this blog, welcome. And to those who joined somewhere else along the way, welcome back. I've missed being here. I've missed you, and I've missed writing blog posts. And oh, … Continue reading Welcome Home, Friends
Plotter or pantser—which do you identify with? Whether you're an outliner extraordinaire or draft based on vibes, I think we can all agree that having an idea for a story is the easy part. Then comes writing. At some level, we love writing. That's why we're writers, right? But drafting is messy and unpredictable, especially … Continue reading Trying to Write a Book as a Pantser? Start Here.
Do you ever think about how the book in your hands came to be? I considered it often as a kid. My whole life, I've wanted to be an author, so I took every chance I could to learn more about the writing process. I went to author talks. I read books on writing. But … Continue reading The Editing Process Isn’t as Scary as You Think
When I was a kid, I thought plot bunnies were actual bunnies. Though I soon realized that I do indeed suffer from plot bunny syndrome (or, in other words, “too many ideas syndrome”), I originally thought that plot bunnies referred to a random thing happening in your story when you couldn’t think of anything else … Continue reading The Importance of Plot Bunnies
What’s your story with Avatar: The Last Airbender? Most people nowadays have one, whether you watched it growing up, found it sometime later, or even saw your kids watching it on TV. Why are we talking about it? Because, 20 years after the show first aired, it’s still making an impact. Who doesn’t want to … Continue reading How a Kids Cartoon Became the Defining Story of a Generation
There’s something about walking into a used bookstore. The heavy scent of aged pages lingering in the air. The quiet voices barely breaking the stillness. The multicolored spines lined up for yards and yards. The silent call beckoning you to tarry as long as you need. How does it move you? a used bookstore in … Continue reading The Biggest Birthday Book Haul
I’ll be keeping a watch out my window tonight for the lynch mob. If you've been here for a little while, you know that I love cartoons. I was raised on Disney movies, My Neighbor Totoro, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and to this day I love finding good new cartoons and rewatching my … Continue reading I’m Gonna Say It: KPop Demon Hunters Isn’t That Great
The story of how Whispers of Worlds came to be began so long ago that I can’t even pinpoint the year. I’ve written countless stories over my lifetime. Some long, some short, some complete, many not. Back in 2019, it occurred to me that I had tons of short stories sitting around, so why not … Continue reading Does Every Story Have a Story?
What does writing a book mean to you? I’m curious to know. Do you picture sitting there at a desk for hours on end, crying over your manuscript? Maybe you feel a spark of excitement at the thought of getting your ideas down. Perhaps there’s even fear. If you’re an author, I hope you at … Continue reading Does Creativity Matter Anymore in the Book Industry?
You don’t need what they’re trying to sell you. Back in the good ol’ days, all a writer needed was a pen and paper. Is that the kind of writer you are? Or are you more familiar with the sight of a crowded desk and even more crowded tabs? It sure is popular to be … Continue reading Most Writing Tools Are Overrated
I have a lifelong history with Studio Ghibli films. It all started with My Neighbor Totoro, one of the first movies I recall from my childhood. I remember Ponyo playing on Cartoon Network when I was in middle school and trailers for The Secret World of Arrietty rolling out in theaters not long after. Then, … Continue reading It Took Me This Long to Finally Watch Kiki’s Delivery Service
The Story Canvas 