Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 75

Interview with Rebecca Wenrich, Wheeler, author of Whispering through Water

Today we have a special treat. I am interviewing Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler, author of Whispering through Water. Let’s get to it so you can enjoy learning about her writing and inspiration. SueBE: Let’s start at the very beginning.  What was your inspiration for Whispering through Water? Rebecca: I have always been interested in the concept … Continue reading Interview with Rebecca Wenrich, Wheeler, author of Whispering through Water →

Mining Social Media for Ideas

Whether you write for young readers or adults, social media and the world of apps can be a treasure trove of ideas. I realized this yesterday when a read a friend’s post on the Muffin blog about how the Nextdoor App sparks her creativity (see her post here). Another friend commented that she reads AITA … Continue reading Mining Social Media for Ideas →

How Much Head Space Do You Give Reviews?

Just this week, a group of us were discussing Goodreads reviews. One of my friends was firm. “I don’t even read Goodreads reviews any more. Those people are nuts!” Wow. That felt a bit harsh. But really? Some review really aren’t worth giving any head space. Let me explain. The temptation is to give credibility … Continue reading How Much Head Space Do You Give Reviews? →

Getting Back into a Project

As I wait for my editor to get back to me on one project, I’m getting back into another that I haven’t had time to look at for probably three months. I optimistically added it to my weekly calendar as if I could just jump back into it. “Rewrite chapter.” But when I clicked the … Continue reading Getting Back into a Project →

Creating Tension: Shiver by Allie

Put SHIVER by Allie Reynolds on your January reading list! The tension will have you shivering with anticipation as you try to figure out who is behind it all. Just in case you need the warning: THIS POST CONTAINS SEVERAL PLOT SPOILERS. If you are writing a mystery, thriller, or any other story that relies … Continue reading Creating Tension: Shiver by Allie →

Magical Realism: Guest Post by Karen Bonner, author of Witching Moon

We have a special treat here at Writer’s Journey! Today’s post on magical realism was written by Karen Bonner, author of the young adult fantasy, Witching Moon. After her post, you’ll find the calendar for the blog tour. From Karen Bonner: Kids ran loose from sunup to sundown in the San Antonio neighborhood where my … Continue reading Magical Realism: Guest Post by Karen Bonner, author of Witching Moon →

Do These 5 Things When You Query

It’s a new year and many of us are contemplating getting our work out there. That means that we have to write query letters. Quit groaning! A query letter is just a business letter. Yes, it is important but with a few tips you can increase your chance of hearing yes. The vast majority of … Continue reading Do These 5 Things When You Query →

Story Spine: An Outline in 9 Steps

Although I sometimes write fiction, I loathe outlining a fictional story. Unless we are talking picture books. I get picture book structure. When the time comes to outline a picture book, I get out fourteen post-it notes and my story board and get to work. But a novel? It just feels so big and unwieldy. … Continue reading Story Spine: An Outline in 9 Steps →

Creating Tension with Story Stakes

Make things difficult for your character. That’s one of those pieces of advice that we hear again and again. The reality is that if the stakes aren’t high enough, your reader just won’t care. Think about it. So your character wants to do well on a test. Pfft. Tests aren’t all that unusual. You have … Continue reading Creating Tension with Story Stakes →

Researching Publishers for Your Manuscript

If you don’t have an agent, with the start of a new year you are probably thinking about submitting some of your manuscripts. Here are four things to consider as you look at publishers online. Publish What You Write First things first, make certain that they publish what you write. One of the complaints that … Continue reading Researching Publishers for Your Manuscript →