Category Writing Tips

A Resource to Help You Choose the Right Job for Your Character + Giveaway!

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener 1 Comment

** The links should be live now for the contest and Contributed Occupation list**

Hi everyone! Today I have something fun to share…a special chance to win some help with your writing bills. Awesome, right?

Some of you may know Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi of Writers Helping Writers. Well, today they are releasing a new book, and I’m part of their street team. I’m handing the blog over to them so they can tell you about their Writer’s Showcase event, new book, and a great freebie to check out. Read on!

Certain details can reveal a lot about a character, such as their goals, desires, and backstory wounds. But did you know there’s another detail that can tie your character’s arc to the plot, provide intense, multi-layered conflict, AND shorten the “get to know the character” curve for readers?

It’s true. Your character’s occupation is a GOLD MINE of storytelling potential.

Think about it: how much time do you spend on the job? Does it fulfill you or frustrate you? Can you separate work from home? Is it causing you challenges, creating obstacles…or bringing you joy and helping you live your truth?

Just like us, most characters will have a job, and the work they do will impact their life. The ups and downs can serve us well in the story.

Maybe you haven’t thought much about jobs in the past and how they act as a window into your character’s personality, interests, and skills. It’s okay, you aren’t alone. The good news is that The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers is going to do all the heavy lifting for you. (Here’s one of the job profiles we cover in this book: FIREFIGHTER.)

GIVEAWAY ALERT: THE WRITER’S SHOWCASE

To celebrate the release of a new book, Writers Helping Writers has a giveaway happening July 20th & July 23rd. You can win some great prizes, including gift certificates that can be spent on writing services within our Writer’s Showcase. Stop by to enter!

Resource Alert: A List of Additional Jobs Profiles For Your Characters

Some of the amazing writers in our community have put together additional career profiles for you, based on jobs they have done in the past. What a great way to get accurate information so you can better describe the roles and responsibilities that go with a specific job, right? To access this list, GO HERE.

Happy writing to all!

Reblog: Sharing Something I Do Not Do, But Should… 4 reasons to carve out designated writing time — Uninspired Writers

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One of the most frequent tips I hear from writer friends is to have designated writing time. I have yet to get there. I know that I should, but with dogs, gardens, a farm, and household chores, I’m lucky if I can fit in half an hour for some cardio exercise in the pool I painted, since soccer is still in lockdown. There are the days when I get in a zone and have to finish a scene, so I take those days and run with them. Then I’m able to parse out that time spent over the next several days so I don’t feel guilty about not writing. Yeah, totally vicious circle. So see if any of this post resonates with you, and be a more time-organized writer than me 😉.~

Writing required commitment, but it’s not always easy to find time in ourbusy lives. Yet, if it’s something we want to pursue, it’s something we have to do. Recently, alongside fitting writing in whenever I can, I’ve set aside designated writing time. Two hours on a Sunday, when I shut off from the world and […]

4 reasons to carve out designated writing time — Uninspired Writers

From a Fellow Rebel Author– ————— How To: Beta Readers — Val Neil

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Compiled from experience, this is a great article on everything to do with beta readers. Follow the link to Val’s page and the entire piece. Enjoy!~

What are they? People who read your polished manuscript (do not send them your shitty first draft) and give you feedback. Ideally they should be readers, NOT other writers, though that can be harder to come by. How many do you need? Depends on where you are in your writer journey. If you’re a newbie, […]

How To: Beta Readers — Val Neil

Re-blogging ‘Cause Writers Love Scrivener ❤🖋📝 ———————————-Scrivener Quick Tips: A Roundup of Handy Features — Writer Unboxed

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener 1 Comment

Hope everyone is staying safe and making the best of the challenging situation we are facing. You can find the full article on Writer Unboxed by following the link below, ’cause who can’t use a Scrivener refresher? I’m taking a mini-course this afternoon myself!

Do you use Scrivener when you write? Do you like it, love it, feel vulnerable when you use it? Let me know in the comments below. I’m in the 🧡🧡🧡🧡 category myself 🥰.

Stop by later for the next installment in Eleanorah Starr’s Collection of Huphaea post series, you won’t want to miss it!

Whether your home office has been invaded and you have little time to write, or you suddenly find yourself with nothing but writing time, I’ve pulled together a motley collection of handy features that every Scrivener user should know about. NOTE: When the process differs between versions, I’m using S1, S2, and S3, to denote…

Scrivener Quick Tips: A Roundup of Handy Features — Writer Unboxed

Recommended: 12 Steps To Sensational Prose: The Anatomy of Prose by Sacha Black

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“My aim is to equip you with a giant bag of prose tricks.”

“…take my must-dos and must-not-dos with several pinches of salt and a dash of gin.”

Sacha Black, The Anatomy of Prose, pg 2.

** I was given an ARC of this book by the author and I HAPPILY leave this review.**

Writing is a creative activity that can be both uplifting and weighty. So many writers feel the need to ‘have everything perfect’ the first time it is on paper and that pressure is substantial. Craft books exist by the hundreds, but the really valuable ones impart so many tips and reminders that they become references- all dog-eared, flagged, and stained.


The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is EXACTLY this sort of book.

It is FULL of writing tools, from cover to cover, presented in the humor-laden style unique to Sacha Black. The witty, often sarcastic jibes only serve to sear the points into the writer’s mind, and if that isn’t enough, the entire last chapter is a condensed review of the book, perfectly suited to reference on the fly! Brilliant!

I always learn multitudes of new things from Sacha’s books. Her previous two, 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains and 10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist, break down the creation of the two pivotal characters in a novel into tangible steps that work insanely well. The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is no different. Authors will find it well worth having at their elbow as they create. It’s bound to become indispensible!

One of the aspects I appreciate most about the book is that Sacha Black drives home the point about language being an array of tools that are at a writer’s disposal. Metaphors, similes, points of view, and tense may have been annoyances in English class, but now they are devices authors can wield with confidence in the name of writing their best book.

If you don’t believe me, buy the book and try it out yourself. I know your mind will change!

This book is not for the proper-at-heart, however, the author’s fondness for ‘bad words’ and colorful phrases are well documented on her podcast, The Rebel Author Podcast, which is also full of writing tips, tricks, and lively interviews. I find her style engaging, fun, often hilarious, but always real and thought-provoking. She continues to inspire writers and authors on- and off-the-page all over the globe. Rebel Authors everywhere will attest–read the books, take the steps (all of them!) and you will succeed! The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is highly recommended!

Recommended: 12 Steps To Sensational Prose: The Anatomy of Prose by Sacha Black

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“My aim is to equip you with a giant bag of prose tricks.”

“…take my must-dos and must-not-dos with several pinches of salt and a dash of gin.”

Sacha Black, The Anatomy of Prose, pg 2.

** I was given an ARC of this book by the author and I HAPPILY leave this review.**

Writing is a creative activity that can be both uplifting and weighty. So many writers feel the need to ‘have everything perfect’ the first time it is on paper and that pressure is substantial. Craft books exist by the hundreds, but the really valuable ones impart so many tips and reminders that they become references- all dog-eared, flagged, and stained.


The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is EXACTLY this sort of book.

It is FULL of writing tools, from cover to cover, presented in the humor-laden style unique to Sacha Black. The witty, often sarcastic jibes only serve to sear the points into the writer’s mind, and if that isn’t enough, the entire last chapter is a condensed review of the book, perfectly suited to reference on the fly! Brilliant!

I always learn multitudes of new things from Sacha’s books. Her previous two, 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains and 10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist, break down the creation of the two pivotal characters in a novel into tangible steps that work insanely well. The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is no different. Authors will find it well worth having at their elbow as they create. It’s bound to become indispensible!

One of the aspects I appreciate most about the book is that Sacha Black drives home the point about language being an array of tools that are at a writer’s disposal. Metaphors, similes, points of view, and tense may have been annoyances in English class, but now they are devices authors can wield with confidence in the name of writing their best book.

If you don’t believe me, buy the book and try it out yourself. I know your mind will change!

This book is not for the proper-at-heart, however, the author’s fondness for ‘bad words’ and colorful phrases are well documented on her podcast, The Rebel Author Podcast, which is also full of writing tips, tricks, and lively interviews. I find her style engaging, fun, often hilarious, but always real and thought-provoking. She continues to inspire writers and authors on- and off-the-page all over the globe. Rebel Authors everywhere will attest–read the books, take the steps (all of them!) and you will succeed! The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences is highly recommended!

Book Review: Audio for Authors by Joanna Penn

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If you are considering adding audio to your author business, Audio for Authors is a must-read. Then decide!

Think you might be interested in audio? Look in here to see why you should be.

I have been interested in narrating audiobooks for quite some time now, in fact, I already have the equipment, a homemade audio booth that sits on my desk, and I’ve created an ACX account. Why haven’t I taken the plunge? The main reason: Time.

I read aloud A LOT. It is one of my favorite things to do when I am pleasure-reading. My dogs appreciate it, and for me it is about how the words come to life when spoken aloud. Narration is certainly something I want to add to my freelance word services business, but in addition to the time factor, I allowed myself to be stymied by the editing process. Recently, I took two more online courses through LinkedIn on using the software, and I gained a much better understanding of it. It doesn’t appear to be as difficult as my brain would have me think.

Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn Podcast has been a staple of my subscriber library since I started listening regularly to podcasts over the past year. She is at the forefront of the indie publishing industry and a super successful entrepreneur. I find her episodes insightful, honest, and certainly thought-provoking. More often than not I remove my earbuds only to think, “Now how can I apply that to what I am doing?”

I ordered Audio for Authors shortly after it was released. It had been recommended to me by another podcaster as well, Sacha Black over at The Rebel Author Podcast and Next Level Authors, so it was a no-brainer to add it to my cart. Then the Coronavirus hit, and I got nervous that it wouldn’t show up forever, but to my delight it arrived quickly and on time!

The first thing I noticed about the book was the three-part organization: Audiobooks, Podcasting, Voice Technology. Can it get any more succinct than that? Each section discusses the topic thoroughly and in a manner that you can easily return to for reference- it’s all spelled out in the titles of the sections. The tips and steps are infused with the author’s own experiences over her 10+ years in podcasting, which made it all reachable for me. She shares her own techniques and reasons for the software, platforms, technology, and hardware she uses, passing along lessons and time-savers freely. I have to say my own confidence increased markedly, as did my enthusiasm!

I finished the book over a week or two, absorbing it in small increments. The Audiobook section amped up my desire to narrate again and I recorded a short cut of one of The Collection of Huphaea posts on this blog (see CoH post #0). The Voice Technology chapters were informative and illustrate how forward-thinking Joanna Penn is in her business planning. The AI voice advances are something all authors should be keeping an eye on for use in several different ways to create income streams.

But it was the Podcasting section that really hit home and made me think.

“… if you are only marketing your book through written media, you will not reach a reader like me. And I am certainly not alone.”

Joanna Penn, Audio for Authors, pg 103.

This line alone sparked an idea, and now I am beginning to put the pieces together to start my own podcast for The Collections of Huphaea. Eeeeek! In general, I have trouble listening to the sound of my own voice, but she also points out that other people won’t hear my voice the same, so what I think doesn’t matter. Bingo! That was what I needed to hear. Yeah, podcasting. I’m diggin’ it.

The prose is light and conversational, it’s very easy to sit down and consume in large chunks. There are websites and links given (super helpful in the ebook) and plenty of resources listed in the back of the book for readers to follow up with. Joanna Penn is thorough in providing information, making Audio for Authors a reference for a burgeoning industry.

I highly recommend Audio for Authors for anyone thinking about adding audio to their marketing activities. Happy reading, and if you finish the book with a microphone in your hand, I won’t be surprised!~

5 Ways Dramatic Techniques Can Transform Your Fiction Writing — Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center

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Image from Canva.com

I recently listened to an episode on The Rebel Author podcast with Scottish playwright and author Jules Horne, the author of this particular blog post. I find her ideas and insights into including dramatic techniques in your writing extremely helpful and thought you might too. Follow this link to read her whole article.

Source: 5 Ways Dramatic Techniques Can Transform Your Fiction Writing — Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center

Audio is also a topic that captures my attention of late, and Jules has another great interview on the ALLi site discussing how to write with audio in mind. I am trying to put these elements into practice with Eleanorah Starr’s storytelling, as I find that I hear this particular story when I am writing it. She makes many great points of how writing in this manner can strengthen your prose. You can find that link here, along with a similar interview on The Rebel Author podcast:

Source: Writing for Audio – 6 Top Tips from a Radio Professional — Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center

The Rebel Author podcast https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-sshfy-d792aa

Enjoy! And keep writing!~

Let me know if you liked these interviews with Jules Horne, and if you found any tips in her words you plan to use yourself in the comments below. Write on!~

Books on My Desk

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Good Monday morning All! I can honestly say that it is a good Monday morning so far — looking out my office window into bright sunshine on new snow, I am happy to be sitting at my desk enjoying 15°F on this side of the wall. I still have to walk the dogs, but they are happier if it is closer to 20° too.

This past week proved to be productive in the reading department, so I thought I would share a couple of craft books that ensnared me.

Three of the many in my TBR or already read piles…

The first one I read was Verbalize, and if you notice all the mini Post-Its sticking out of it, you can conclude that I found it helpful. IMMENSELY helpful! I had heard interviews with author Damon Suede on several podcasts and everything he said about writing from verbs made complete sense, so I had to check it out. I have been in the process of outlining my fantasy novel for a bit now, but it never felt quite right. I just kept thinking that I wasn’t ready for that step yet, that I was still missing something as related to characters and events. So when I started reading Verbalize, I realized, YEAH I sure am missing something — the reasons why my characters are taking this journey and the actions that motivate them. Don’t get me wrong, I had some idea, but nothing I could sustain for very long when trying to plot. After a reading the book and then completing a few of the exercises, I now feel much better about what actually moves and shakes these individuals.

The other two books in the photo were both highly recommended in Verbalize, so I decided to borrow them from my library system first (yes, I am one of those people who still LOVES to use my library), to see if I should/needed to/wanted to purchase them for permanent reference. I’m over halfway through Wired for Story, and I can say that yes, I do believe I will be purchasing it; it is most worthy of mini Post-its and highlighter treatment. Lisa Cron’s book uses many of the same principles as Suede’s, but approaches it from a ‘how-the-brain-works’ perspective. So far it has been entertaining reading, and very instructive in defining the theme characters take action on, whether they know it or not.

I haven’t actually gotten to Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch yet, but if it is anywhere in the same vein as the other two, it will also be a solid read. I will post an update as I get into this book, which should be soon (cause it isn’t mine either… yet). Praise to the renewable library loan!

If you hadn’t surmised as such, I am a consummate planner when it comes to writing, and that goes back to the first research paper I wrote in sixth grade — I can still see all my note cards and how they corresponded to my outline, with each piece of information, so that all I had to do was connect them all together with the right words and it was done. That lack of confidence I had every time I sat down to outline was what spurred me to to delve into what I was missing. After a book and a half, I already have a much better handle on the foundation elements of my story. How to work with and refine them to draw the tale, length by length, from the tangled ball of yarn that it is in my imagination. I am so very glad that I read (am reading) these books before lots of words hit the page, but honestly, being a planner, the words wouldn’t have come anyway. Cause now I know there was nowhere for them to come from. HA ha!! <evil villain laugh, with finger in the air> Now the outline begins! ~

What craft books have you read that helped you as a writer? Any that changed your whole outlook or approach? Leave a comment below on writing books that you love to recommend. Til next time, happy writing!~

PS. If you haven’t heard about it yet, there is an extension for Google’s Chrome web browser that checks your local library system for a book whenever you query one online. It’s an EXCELLENT tool, I highly recommend it! Then if you like a book, you can always support the author and buy it for yourself. Win-win!

For Your Interest (and Information)…

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image source: AutoCrit.com newsletter, 1.17.20

The Write Life has released a comprehensive list of 100 websites for writers — covering many topics in a writer’s daily life.

I discovered this list this morning in a newsletter and took a few minutes to explore it. It could easily have turned into hours, of course, but I was a good business person and extracted myself from the quicksand of website-hopping before I sank too deep. Just in that brief foray, however, I saw several sites/podcasts that I already subscribe to or visit regularly, and many more that I want to visit. If you are looking for information on writerly topics, this list would be an excellent place to start your search. Happy writing! ~