I sat down to write more of my story tonight, and the first thing that popped into my head was Ewan MacGreggor’s opening monologue in Moulin Rouge. I don’t know if you’ve seen Moulin Rouge. If you haven’t, honestly where were you in ’01? (younger millennials get a pass) That scene filled my head, and … More A Writer’s Journey ~ Truth, Beauty, Love
One of my 2019 resolutions was to stop beating myself up. Trust me when I say, I am the queen of giving myself a hard time. So when life gets tough and I start to miss bookish deadlines, as I did for Bound Beauty, I take it out on myself. Something I had to re-learn the hard … More A Writer’s Journey ~ Be Kind to Yourself
Before we dive into this month’s “journey” feature, I just wanted to thank everyone who has contributed, read and helped support We Write Fantasy. A group of my fellow fantasy authors came together over our love of the genre. We also wanted a place where we could help inspire our fellow writers, whether you’re published or … More A Writer’s Journey ~ Back in the Habit
Naming Characters & Worldbuilding One of my favorite things about creating characters is naming them. Sometimes the names just seem to magically come to me. When my alter ego was planning an adult paranormal romance set in New Orleans, the name Twilight Vanpeer struck in the shower. Most times, it’s not that easy. Usually, I … More Worldbuilding & Research with SF Benson
I love stories that showcase the antagonist’s point of view. It gives readers an opportunity to know where they are coming from. Granted, some antagonists are truly twisted people and getting a glimpse into their minds can be disturbing. But, say, in the case of a lot of thrillers or horror stories, this “chill down … More Writing Hacks: Creating Three-Dimensional Villains
The Importance of Accuracy in Worldbuilding The idea for today’s post came while binge-watching the CW’s Arrow. Hey, don’t fault me. I’m a huge fan of DC Comics and Marvel. While playing catch up on the series, I noticed frequent mention of Bratva (in a nutshell, think Russian mafia). Personally, I’d never heard of it … More Writing Advice: SF Benson
Worldbuilding and Research When I was considering what to write for this post, I first thought I’d write about my research process while writing my latest fairy tale retelling. But then, the question popped up—why did I need research for this story? All Things Dark & Magickal: Bitter Fruit requires worldbuilding. Lots of worldbuilding—hence, the … More Writing Advice: SF Benson
A couple of years ago, over at my author blog, I shared my experience writing Scarred Beauty (Wylder Tales #2). I had recently devoured Rachel Aaron’s 2,000 – 10,000. In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month, and as I’m currently in the thick of writing my third Wylder Tales, I thought it fitting to revisit my … More A Writer’s Journey ~ 2K per day Challenge
You’ve worked nonstop on this manuscript for months, an uphill battle you thought you’d never win. But now, finally, after painful revisions and thirty-seven proofreads and scheduling your release posts and promos and swimming in a pool of your own sweat and tears, your baby is going out into the world. It’s over. You’re done. … More Writing Hacks: Release Day Blues
Last Friday, Melissa Wright shared an awesome Writing Hacks about dealing with writer’s anxiety. In our private Facebook group, our authors discussed how we had recently dealt with it and what helped us cope. As I am in the middle of writing my third Wylder Tales novel, I thought it the perfect time to revisit this theme … More A Writer’s Journey ~ Facing Fear Part 2
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