Kansas City received a real treat last weekend. The Kansas City Public Library brought Tracy K. Smith, the poet laureate of the United States to do a… Read more “Writers of the World: Tracy K. Smith”
Category: Writing
ConQuesT 49
Memorial Weekend marks the 49th annual ConQuesT, a science fiction and fantasy convention put on by the KC Science Fiction and Fantasy Society and you’ll find me… Read more “ConQuesT 49”
Enrich Your Fiction: What’s in a (Nick)name
Naming a human is perhaps one of the most significant things we do as already living humans, or so I gather. At this point, I don’t have… Read more “Enrich Your Fiction: What’s in a (Nick)name”
Literary Trend Spotting: Tough Women
Society doesn’t hesitate to tell a woman how to act, how to dress, how to look and how to be. You’re either a bitch or a sweetheart… Read more “Literary Trend Spotting: Tough Women”
First Drafts and Self Doubt
Have you ever noticed that many writers are plagued by self-doubt and imposter syndrome? Is it something you’ve ever dealt with? I’ve been back at work on… Read more “First Drafts and Self Doubt”
Literary Pilgrimage: The American Writers Museum
Last weekend was a bit of a whirlwind. I accompanied my boyfriend to Chicago where he attended a conference with thousands of other people who work in… Read more “Literary Pilgrimage: The American Writers Museum”
“I Need Some Space”: Taking a Break from Your Writing
Have you ever walked away from a writing project for a while? Did you ever go back? If you did, what did you find when you returned?… Read more ““I Need Some Space”: Taking a Break from Your Writing”
Antihero vs Unlikable Hero
Hello, friends! Today I’m excited to share that I’m writing to you from my completed writing room! We’re getting settled in our new place and I finally… Read more “Antihero vs Unlikable Hero”
Considering Character Identity
Do your characters ever feel like an extension of yourself? Mine certainly do, if nothing more than the heroines are typically people who I aspire to be, possessing the bravery to stand up for what they believe in and for others.
But what about characters that are very different from you? Race, or the lack of diversity in stories, has been a topic of particular note in recent years. But what about gender and sexuality?
Characters Classified: Segmenting Populations in Your Writing
Why do we classify and categorize things and why has this practice seeped into the way we present our characters in certain types of stories? It all comes back to how we’re wired.
Writer vs the World 