Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “writing”
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills It’s summer, the season for vacations, picnics, backyard barbecues, swimming, and whatever else we can do when the weather’s warm. Yet, sometimes we slip into a funky mood and need something to give us a perk. Here are 15 ways we can brighten our day and improve our mental health. Outside Get out of the house …
By Cathy Baker @DiAnnMills This week Cathy Baker @CathyBaker is my guest blogger. Do you have the perfect reading spot? “The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.” —Ursula K. Le Guin You’re handed a book by your favorite author and told …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We’ve all wondered if we’re cut out to write a novel. We experience an unusual or exciting event and ask ourselves, “Could I write a story about this?” Sometimes we dwell on it for days, weeks, months, and even years, still asking ourselves the same question. Why not take a novelist writing quiz to see if …
Guy Gourley @DiAnnMills My guest blogger today is Guy Gourley, a good friend, and excellent writer. Recently, I was sitting with my writing coach, DiAnn Mills at a local Panera as she sipped on her third cup of black java. We were going over my novel, which has taken years to complete. No wonder she needed that much caffeine. Thankfully, …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Every writer wants to be viewed as professional, intelligent, and bestselling. These goals are honorable, worthy, and attainable. But when a writer consistently makes mistakes that label him/her unprofessional, credibility takes a nose dive as well. Examine the following mistakes. If you are a writer, changes may be on your horizon. 1. Practicing poor grammar and …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We writers can be a bit eccentric, sometimes bizarre, and those who love us may wonder if we need to be on meds. The truth is we’re creative people, and we look at life a little differently. You may be wondering if you’re a writer or suspect someone close to you has the ability to string …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Lions fascinate me. They represent nobility and respect, and their muscular bodies are to be admired and feared. No fat anywhere. Like I hope my stories resonate with readers. The more I thought about lions, the more I realized writing a novel has much in common with these animals. Here are my 10 comparisons. If you …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills This week is an opportunity for you to win a $25.00 Starbucks Gift Card! All you need to do is write a caption for the image below and submit it in the comments. The contest closes Friday, May 4th at 12:00 p.m CST. I will then select my top five captions from posted comments and place …
DiAnn will be teaching on creating powerful fiction in the 21st century all day at Helen Hall Library in League City, TX, Saturday, May 12th starting at 10:30 a.m. Presentations on Writing Fiction to include: 10:30 – 11:30 – Characterization and Backstory – The Muscle of Motivation and Plot 11:30 – 12:15 – Creating Lightning Emotion and Symbolism 12:20 – …
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Last week a reader asked about my hardest task as a writer. I had to think before answering. I’m in the midst of line edits before turning in my next story, so I’m totally emerged in every word, goal, voice, gesture, motive, plot line, romance, suspense, symbol, character(s), emotion, dialogue, narrative, transition, spiritual impact, as well …
