Robin Murphy's Blog, page 5

Finish This Sentence...Halloween Themed Writing Prompt

[image error] Jesse stood frozen in fear with his axe at the ready as he frantically swung in the dark and  ____________. 
Give your story a title and post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments below. Vote below for the best story and the winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and their story will be published on social media. Winner announced 10/31/17. Vote For Your Favorite Story: Fill in title below: * Submit

Finish This Sentence...Writing Prompt

I carefully opened the door where the eery sounds had emerged and saw __________, and immediately turned and ran back down the stairs. Post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments below.

My Guest Post on "The Muffin" Women on Writing Blog

I published a blog post about editing and rewrites on The Muffin blog. Catch it HERE.

Just Write, Damnit!

So, I go through many stages with my writing, and it changes daily for me. I didn't decide to be a writer when I was young. I didn't journal or enter writing contests when I was in school. Nope, I just began writing in 2006 for no apparent reason. True statement...

​I have no clue why or how it came to me. I just literally started to spin a romance story that took place in Ireland. I published it on Lulu and I believe I sold five books...that may be stretching it. I had no formal writing or marketing training prior to this story, but I know how I felt while writing...euphoric.

I decided to take an online romance writing course and I soon discovered how much help I needed to craft my story. I immediately removed my book from Lulu and began my quest to learn as much as I possibly could. I knew I had the creative side, the part where all those crazy things run around in my brain. You writers know what I'm talking about. But I had to learn how to put those ideas in a sequence that made sense.

From there, I took a college writing course. This is when I really began to flourish. It was so much fun. I LOVED the coursework. I couldn't wait for my next assignment. From this training, my first book in my paranormal mystery series, Sullivan's Secret, was born. The rest is history...

​I digress, sorry about that. We writers tend to babble. Anyway, the writing part. That's the part that tends to drive me crazy. I mean, who would think that the one thing that gives me so much joy and I have a blast doing, could drive me nuts. But it does in the sense that, at times, I just don't feel like writing...but then feel guilty when I don't. I know, quite the conundrum.

​We all have ebbs and flows, and when I'm ebbing (not sure if that's used correctly  but I like it), I have to tell myself...Just write damnit! That's the key. I don't believe in writer's block and I've read and heard over and over again, writer's need to read and write. But we also need to give ourselves a break when we're "ebbing".

So for all you writer's out there who aren't really feeling it today...go outside and smell the fresh air and hear the birds singing. Go for a walk, listen to your favorite song. Then get your ass back to it and just write, damnit! Remember - Keep on writing...

Creating Compelling Characters in Six Simple Steps

Here are some great tips and a video tutorial on creating compelling characters from Writer's Digest.

10 Reasons Why You're "Not" a Writer...

Here's a nice "boost your spirits" blog post on Writer's Write. Every one of them true...

Is 2017 Your Year To Write And Publish A Book?

An interesting article from Forbes by Nick Morgan. "If you’ve got a voice, and an idea, and you’re ready to fight for their significance, then maybe you should write a book this year."

Tips on Writing a Sequel (When You Didn’t Plan to Write a Sequel)

This is an interesting read. I hadn't planned on writing a series either, even at the very end of the first book, Sullivan's Secret. But after I had finished, I began to miss my characters and all of the voices in my head were calling for me to carry them through another mystery. Enjoy these tips by Ellen Kushner from the Writer's Dig at Writer's Digest.

J.K. Rowling has some advice for aspiring writers

Some great inspirational advice for aspiring writers...read it HERE from Entertainment Weekly!

How This Author Built A Successful Career Around Writing, Meditation, And Surfing

Read about author, meditation teacher, and surfer Jaimal Yogis in this Forbes article. You won't want to miss this!