Social media, yikes. I’ve plunged into this realm falling, grasping tree roots and splatting on the floor of the rabbit hole. Adjusting to the other worldly light, skirting a tidy table set for tea, I have taken stock, finding a wondrous world.

For writers, the social network is a necessity. After the thrill of publishing [...]

I forgot about the promised query letter post. So here goes. This information was taken from the writers festival, where I furiously scribbled down the points. -Furiously scribbled, because I want to get it right. I’m just learning about this stuff as are many other writers. Today, I’m passing on what I heard from Sylvia [...]

With all the changes in publishing, building your platform, promoting, as well as the writing itself, there is something that is often overlooked; delivery. As writers we are often required to read our work at book signings and other public venues.This can be a daunting experience for many. Our craft requires periods of solitude only [...]

The Word on the Lake Writers Festival has wrapped up for another year. In the next few entries, I will share some of the information and experiences from a very productive weekend.

A  portion of the festival focused on changes in the publishing world. Writers and publishers alike have been plunged into the reality of [...]

This Friday kicks off  WORD ON THE LAKE, A Festival for Readers and Writers. It’s a weekend of writing workshops, readings and presentations, in Salmon Arm British Columbia. In its ninth year, the festival and has been well received.

Attending a writing event isn’t just about learning something new. It’s about refreshing, energizing. Cast off [...]

When getting your story onto the page, sometimes the ideas spill out faster than you can type. The advice most often heard is keep going. Get as much of your idea as possible written down. Some people write out the entire first draft that way.

But what if the ideas aren’t flowing? Some writers have [...]

Ask questions in your writing and then answer them. Even when you don’t know the answer, it will come. The surprising and charming thing about writing is tapping into your own well of creativity and knowledge. When you write, you raise the questions who, what, when and where. The reader is drawn deeper into the story, [...]

Writing is an excellent creative outlet, don’t you think? – Make statements without adding qualifiers. ‘Everyone has a story to tell’,  is a definitive statement.  By adding a qualifier, the speaker is looking to reinforce her opinion.

Statements are weakened by words such as perhaps or maybe, or asking a question like ‘Isn’t it?’ Life is [...]