Blog
Teen Writer Mentor – Classroom visits!
Let's talk about writing and books! I'd be happy to visit your book club or classroom in person, or via Skype. I currently co-host a monthly Teen Writers Workshop at a public library, and an annual...
Writing Prompt: Inspiration from the Natural World
Today's visually stunning prompts are from photographer Donn Delson. An avid traveler, Donn's collection features images from trips to the Galapagos islands, Europe, Canada, and around his...
6 Easy ways for readers to show love for favorite books
We readers are lucky. There is an abundance of great books on the market. That’s why it’s so important to post reviews of the books you enjoy–so other readers can find them.
Cara Lopez Lee’s Thoughtful Rules for Compassionate Critiques
Note: I love when readers tell me WHAT they think they just read. Often what we are trying to imply in a scene comes across differently to different people, and this technique helps me gauge whether I’ve nailed it–or not.
10 Mother Figures in new novels – Great literary examples for writers
Let’s look at how some new novels showcase memorable fictional mothers. From loving, supportive mothers to complex, trailblazing mothers to selfish, vindictive mothers, this list from Andrea Lochen, author of The Repeat Year (Berkley, 2013) and Imaginary Things (see below) has it all!
Finally, a Simple Solution to Handling Backstory
Rule of Three “For every three sentences (or in some cases, paragraphs) of backstory, go back to the present scene at least briefly,
Story Prompt: Comedy Writing Exercise
Comedy writing is intimidating, I think most of us can agree. But if you like sitcoms, and romcoms and dramedies as much as I do, isn’t worth a shot?
Story Prompt: Can the Buddha help you with your next story?
Is it just me, or would this quote make a brilliant premise for a Science Fiction novel? Imagine the literal ability to become what you think (eg: morph), draw to you kinetically what you choose (eg: Darth Vadar’s force pull), and create what you imagine (eg: Hiro Hamada used a neurotransmitter in Big Hero 6 to control his microbots.) How would this technology work in your world? How would it be used–for good? for evil?
Short Story: It Was Easier
When he told me he was seeing someone new, the tight grip I’d held to my end of our connection fell as slack as his.
Story Prompt: Sometimes Your Closest Confidant is a Stranger
"I wonder how many people I've looked at all my life and never seen." I love this quote from John Steinbeck. While emulation of our literary heroes may prove worthy practice when starting out, our...
Like Father, Like Son – A Short Story (Horror)
I was challenged to write a horror story a month ago, about the things that sadden, disgust, and disturb me. I don't write horror. It may sound silly, but I hold to the belief that what we think...
Using Dream Analysis to Develop Your Fictional Characters
Have you ever been chased by someone in your dreams? Been naked in public? Flown like a bird around a city? Or just felt utterly lost in a maze-like building? There are twelve basic dream patterns...
Cover Reveal! Book 4 of Between Series is HERE!
At last! The awaited cover reveal of the much-anticipated fourth book in Cyndi Tefft's BETWEEN series has arrived! Sacrifice of Greatest Price will soon be in our hot little hands. (Well hello...
Revise Your Novel in One Month with PlotWriMo
The amount of time, heartache, frustration, and hell that these videos are saving me from is immeasurable
Tips and Strategies for a Successful Book Launch
You want to sell books, right? The journey to publication was long, wrought with *tears and massive revisions (*Oh, was that just me?). The sole purpose of our admirable, satisfying, and daunting...
One Last Song – A New Book by Author S.K. Falls
I think it’s inspiring and admirable that, in the course of writing and publishing her own books, she committed her time, experience and wisdom to an unpublished author. I am so thankful to her.
Boiling Down Story – Creating a Pitch
As a competing mentee in this year's Pitch Wars, I've been working on formulating a pitch. It would seem that, having dreamed up, outlined, and written an entire novel (and I won't even go into the...
Is a Writer’s Retreat for you?
When was the last time you walked through a meadow? Not a cut-lawn city park expanse, or your own back yard just before mowing, but an honest-to-goodness meadow? Last weekend I attended an intimate...
Stay Connected
Resources & Free Downloads
Micro Goal Record
Summation Word Record
Checklist of Leader Characteristics
Feelings Flowchart
The Big Idea (poster)
Leadership Tools for Your Life and Your School
Best Stuff in the World (exclusive Bonus Page)
Who Am I (exclusive Bonus Page)
(Re)Write The Script (exclusive Bonus Page)
Glossary
Case Study – Measure your success
About the Authors