Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 99

3 Tricks to Help You Get Words on the Page

What is the most important part of writing? It is kind of a chicken and egg situation. You have to get words on the page. You have to know how to rewrite. But you can’t rewrite until you get the words on the page. My husband is working from home. That means he’s sharing my … Continue reading 3 Tricks to Help You Get Words on the Page →

Creating the Cliffhanger Ending

I excel at cliffhangers, or so I thought. I have a tendency to plot fiction using cliffhangers as chapter endings. For those of you who may not be familiar with the term, a cliffhanger leaves the reader in suspense. As a chapter ending, it leaves the reader wondering what will happen next. Whose behind the … Continue reading Creating the Cliffhanger Ending →

Writing about What You Know vs What You Don’t

I just turned in a rewrite. I’m not sure which was harder – explaining nuclear energy or describing a granny-square vest. Actually, I take that back. I do know. It was much harder to describe the vest! The problem was that I was writing about something I know how to do. Writing about What You … Continue reading Writing about What You Know vs What You Don’t →

Science Fiction vs Fantasy vs Speculative Fiction

Yesterday (1/2) was National Science Fiction Day. It might not have caught my attention except I just recommended a novel to my sister. It was Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey. For those of you who don’t know the book, it is a skewed pulp Western. The main character Esther stows away on a librarian’s … Continue reading Science Fiction vs Fantasy vs Speculative Fiction →

Top Books of 2021

I’m always amazed when someone says that they only read 10 or 15 books in a year. Really? How do you do that? Granted, the last two years I’ve read an indescent number. This year I read 237 books including children’s titles, books for the adult reader, and graphic novels. How do I remember all … Continue reading Top Books of 2021 →

Voice: You Win Some, You Lose Some

“I want to love your character’s voice.” So many editors say this, or something like it. Me? When I pick up a new book, I want to love the voice too. I finish almost every book I start whether it is print or audio. If you need an estimate, I probably finish 90% of the … Continue reading Voice: You Win Some, You Lose Some →

Idea Generation: Storystorm 2022

Normally I have more writing ideas than I know what to do with. I think of new ideas while I am reading. Watching TV or a movie? Ideas definitely come to me especially if I am watching nonfiction. Museums are especially intriguing and I snap photos of exhibit descriptions and more. This means that normally … Continue reading Idea Generation: Storystorm 2022 →

The Best of Plans or What to Do When Asked for a Rewrite

I always start the writing week with a plan. Yesterday I posted about my plans for this week. I want to finish the first draft of my middle grade science fiction novel Airstream. I got a bit done yesterday morning so I have 2000 words to go! Monday I got an email. My editors wanted … Continue reading The Best of Plans or What to Do When Asked for a Rewrite →

Five More Days to Meet Your 2021 Goals

Tic tic tic tic tic. The seconds left in 2021 are counting down. At least that’s how it feels if you have a writing goal from the year that you are trying to meet. My goal is to finish a draft of my middle grade science fiction novel, Airstream. I set a goal to double … Continue reading Five More Days to Meet Your 2021 Goals →

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas. I know, I know. This is actually Christmas Eve. But what does a writer do on Christmas Eve? She finishes baking cookies – chocolate crinkles and attic cookies (ginger molasses). She also finishes crocheting two final gifts. And maybe just maybe she sneaks in some time to … Continue reading Merry Christmas! →