A Writer’s Gold: Creating Curiosity

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills A writing client inspired this post for readers and writers. My client and I were editing his story together. A chapter ended, and so did our time, but he’d successfully created a curiosity in me, and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what happened next! His response still makes me laugh. “Your enthusiasm for …

Summer Salads to Cool the Heat

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills This summer the heat has been somewhere between unbearable and downright hot. Finding light meals that are nutritious can challenge the best of us. But this summer I’ve discovered and experimented with salad fixin’s that I want to share with you. Charred Corn Salad – from Joanna Gaines at Magnolia.com 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher …

How Many Times Did I Use That Word?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Confession time. I can use the same word too many times in a story. I call them pet words, and they can vary from one story to another. It seems my mind forgets the times I’ve already used the same word. Oh, the frustration when I discover the flaw. This leads me to explore editing tools …

July 26 – National All or Nothing Day

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Today challenges us to dig out that one project we’ve put off forever. Not a chore or something dreaded . . . but the dream that steals our idle moments. “Someday I’m going to ­_____________.” (Fill in the blank.) * Climb a mountain * Change a career * Obtain a degree * Move across the country or …

12 Things I’ve Learned About Writing

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills In the past two decades plus, I’ve learned a lot about writing, the publishing industry, social media, marketing, and promotion. Along the way, I’ve made some embarrassing mistakes too. But I’m not diving into those. Here are 12 things I’ve learned about writing since publishing my first book. Maybe some will help you. 1. Research doesn’t …

In Pursuit of Tenacity

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I was introduced to tenacity in middle school. We had a week of learning about tenacious people and how they were more than determined or stubborn, but persistent in their goals. The teacher designed the lessons to show the value of staying on task and shaking off negativity. Now, I look around me at the number …

How to Pack for the Perfect Vacation

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills July becomes vacation spectacular for many people around the world, and you may be one of them. Over the years, I’ve simplified my packing method, and I’d like to share with you 10 easy ways to ensure your trip meets expectations with a plan for taking just what you need—and ensuring the perfect vacation. Here are …

Popular Childhood Reading from the 1930s – 1970s

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills A discussion arose on Facebook about books that sparked our childhood reading. What fun, and I found I’d read most of them too. The nostalgia of favorite books that not only kept me turning pages but also encouraged me to write caused me to research favorite childhood books beginning with my mother’s era in the 1930s. …

Danger Signs of a Too Comfortable Writer

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We live in a comfortable society. But that can be dangerous for writers who choose complacency rather than pouring a steady stream of effort into their writing. Have you ever met a writer who expected and demanded results from readers, other writers, and those involved in the profession without doing their share of the work? It’s …