Ruth Ellen Parlour's Blog, page 9

Guest Interview – Monica La Porta

I want to give a warm welcome to Monica La Porta and thank her for stopping by. Monica is one of the independent authors taking part in our great giveaway organised by Clare Davidson. You can win 11 ebooks, 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon voucher (open internationally) Just click here to see the great books and to enter.

Monica has kindly answered some interview questions for us. Her book – The Priest, is available in our giveaway.

Hi, Ruth, thank you so much for having me.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

As a reader, I like what-if stories set in alternate realities. A few years ago, I read an article about the imminent possibility of procreating without male contribution. I found the idea worthy of further developing and the seed for the Ginecean Chronicles was planted.

What genre would your book fall under?

Dystopian

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I keep changing my mind about my fantasy cast. I’d say a young Christian Bale for Mauricio and Emmy Rossum for Rosie.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Love doesn’t look at social status, gender, skin color.

Are there any characters that you love and found easy to write?

Villains. They are so much fun. In general, I prefer flawed characters. They give you more material to work with and I like the challenge to make them likable.

Are there any characters in your book that you hate?

If I hate them, they are easily disposed of. But in all seriousness, I’ve never written a character I couldn’t like. The only characters I dislike are the ones who don’t have a story behind.

What other books within your genre would you compare it to?

I’ve been told in different occasions that my stories have a similar feeling to Margaret Atwood’s books.

Author Bio:

Monica La Porta is an Italian who landed in Seattle several years ago. Despite popular feelings about the Northwest weather, she finds the mist and the rain the perfect conditions to write. Being a strong advocate of universal acceptance and against violence in any form and shape, she is also glad to have landed precisely in Washington State. She is the author of The Ginecean Chronicles, a dystopian/science fiction series set on the planet Ginecea where women rule over a race of enslaved men and heterosexual love is considered a sin. She has published The Priest and Pax in the Land of Women, respectively book one and two in the Ginecean series and is currently editing the third, Prince of War. She also wrote and illustrated a children’s book about the power of imagination, The Prince’s Day Out. Her latest published short, Linda of the Night, is a fairytale love story celebrating inner beauty.  Stop by her blog to read about her miniatures, sculptures, paintings, and her beloved beagle, Nero. Sometimes, she also posts about her writing.

You can stalk Monica on these formats;

Monica La Porta’s blog

The Ginecean Chronicles’ Facebook page

Goodreads Author page

Where to find her books:

The Ginecean Chronicles

The Priest

Pax in the Land of Women 

Children’s books and YA short stories:

The Prince’s Day Out 



Linda of the Night

Thanks again to Monica for stopping by! Her book – The Priest, is part of our giveaway.

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

Guest Interview – Sharon Sant

I want to give a warm welcome to Sharon Sant and thank her for stopping by. Sharon is one of the independent authors taking part in our great giveaway organised by Clare Davidson. You can win 11 ebooks, 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon voucher (open internationally) Just click here to see the great books and to enter.

Sharon has kindly answered some interview questions for us. Her book – Sky Song is available in our giveaway.

To tie in with the Indie Author Giveaway that’s going on right now, I’m delighted that Ruth has asked me to visit her blog to answer a few questions about Sky Song.  Here goes…

What genre is your book?

If I had to be pinned down I’d say it’s YA urban fantasy.  But I’m heavily influenced by magical realism and so I’d be tempted to say that there are aspects of that in the book too. In fact, one of my favourite quotes from Terry Pratchett (forgive me that I’ll have to paraphrase) is something along the lines of saying you write magical realism is just a polite way of saying you write fantasy.  I agree to a certain extent, they’re really not that far apart.

Can you give us a one sentence synopsis? 

With a hidden past and no knowledge of his true identity, seemingly ordinary teenager, Jacob, can have no idea of the glorious destiny, or the mortal danger that awaits him.

Are there characters that you love and found easy to write?

I adore the every one of the central trio.  I love Jacob’s complexity – his vulnerability loyalty, sometimes selfishness, and his keen intelligence – I found this an absolute joy to write.  Luca, his best friend, is funny and adorable but also really brave and loyal, a bit of a slacker at times but will do anything for his friends. Luca is probably the most like me, actually, someone who hides their insecurities behind humour, so from that point of view he was easy to write too; quite often I just had to dig deep!   Ellen is courageous, grounded, tough and insightful.  Because of the turn her story takes, I had to be careful that people understood her motives, so that took a lot of thinking through.  I loved the challenge, and I hope that people get her when they read it.

Are there any characters that you hate?

I love Jacob’s parents, Ellen’s brothers, Luca’s Mum, I even love the baddie in this book! I especially love the baddie, actually, because you’re never quite sure that is really what he is.   I feel like he’s quite a complex character with perfectly reasonable motives for what he does, so that makes him (I hope) more of a sympathetic character. So, no, I don’t hate any of them!

What else in your genre would you compare it to? 

Somebody asked me this recently and I couldn’t think of anything.  As I explained at the time, this wasn’t because I think I’m wildly original, but because, lately, my brain is fried.  But, then a reader pointed out to me that it reminded them of The Dark is Rising series, which I absolutely love.  Susan Cooper is one of my writing heroes, a yardstick for my own craft, so I’ll happily claim that association!  

Can you tell us anything else that might pique our interest?

Cute boys and pretty girls.  Probably not what you’re looking for me to say!

You can stalk Sharon on These formats:

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

Author Bio:

Sharon graduated from Staffordshire University in 2009 with a degree in English and creative writing, and she currently divides her time between working as a freelance editor and writing herown stories.  An avid reader with eclectic tastes across many genres, when not busy trying in vain to be a domestic goddess, she can often be found lurking in local coffee shops with herhead in a book. Sometimes she pretends to be clever but really loves nothing more than watching geeky TV and eating Pringles.

Sky Song:

A strange-eyed boy with no memory of his true identity or real parents, Jacob could have no idea of the mortal danger he has been in every day of his fifteen years. Now that danger has found him and suddenly he doesn’t know who he can trust and what is real anymore.  All he knows is that his new identity is almost as terrifying as the peril unleashing it has brought. Caught in the universal power struggle of an ancient race of beings and a destiny demanded of him that he does not want, he must fight to protect his own life and everyone he holds dear. But when the time comes, will he be strong enough to make the sacrifices that saving them will demand?

Thanks again to Sharon for stopping by! Her book – Sky Song, is part of our giveaway but also available on Sky Song (The Sky Song trilogy)" target="_blank">Amazon

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

Guest Interview – Sharon Shant

I want to give a warm welcome to Sharon Shant and thank her for stopping by. Sharon is one of the independent authors taking part in our great giveaway organised by Clare Davidson. You can win 11 ebooks, 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon voucher (open internationally) Just click here to see the great books and to enter.

Sharon has kindly answered some interview questions for us. Her book – Sky Song is available in our giveaway.

To tie in with the Indie Author Giveaway that’s going on right now, I’m delighted that Ruth has asked me to visit her blog to answer a few questions about Sky Song.  Here goes…

What genre is your book?

If I had to be pinned down I’d say it’s YA urban fantasy.  But I’m heavily influenced by magical realism and so I’d be tempted to say that there are aspects of that in the book too. In fact, one of my favourite quotes from Terry Pratchett (forgive me that I’ll have to paraphrase) is something along the lines of saying you write magical realism is just a polite way of saying you write fantasy.  I agree to a certain extent, they’re really not that far apart.

Can you give us a one sentence synopsis? 

With a hidden past and no knowledge of his true identity, seemingly ordinary teenager, Jacob, can have no idea of the glorious destiny, or the mortal danger that awaits him.

Are there characters that you love and found easy to write?

I adore the every one of the central trio.  I love Jacob’s complexity – his vulnerability loyalty, sometimes selfishness, and his keen intelligence – I found this an absolute joy to write.  Luca, his best friend, is funny and adorable but also really brave and loyal, a bit of a slacker at times but will do anything for his friends. Luca is probably the most like me, actually, someone who hides their insecurities behind humour, so from that point of view he was easy to write too; quite often I just had to dig deep!   Ellen is courageous, grounded, tough and insightful.  Because of the turn her story takes, I had to be careful that people understood her motives, so that took a lot of thinking through.  I loved the challenge, and I hope that people get her when they read it.

Are there any characters that you hate?

I love Jacob’s parents, Ellen’s brothers, Luca’s Mum, I even love the baddie in this book! I especially love the baddie, actually, because you’re never quite sure that is really what he is.   I feel like he’s quite a complex character with perfectly reasonable motives for what he does, so that makes him (I hope) more of a sympathetic character. So, no, I don’t hate any of them!

What else in your genre would you compare it to? 

Somebody asked me this recently and I couldn’t think of anything.  As I explained at the time, this wasn’t because I think I’m wildly original, but because, lately, my brain is fried.  But, then a reader pointed out to me that it reminded them of The Dark is Rising series, which I absolutely love.  Susan Cooper is one of my writing heroes, a yardstick for my own craft, so I’ll happily claim that association!  

Can you tell us anything else that might pique our interest?

Cute boys and pretty girls.  Probably not what you’re looking for me to say!

You can stalk Sharon on These formats:

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

Author Bio:

Sharon graduated from Staffordshire University in 2009 with a degree in English and creative writing, and she currently divides her time between working as a freelance editor and writing herown stories.  An avid reader with eclectic tastes across many genres, when not busy trying in vain to be a domestic goddess, she can often be found lurking in local coffee shops with herhead in a book. Sometimes she pretends to be clever but really loves nothing more than watching geeky TV and eating Pringles.

Sky Song:

A strange-eyed boy with no memory of his true identity or real parents, Jacob could have no idea of the mortal danger he has been in every day of his fifteen years. Now that danger has found him and suddenly he doesn’t know who he can trust and what is real anymore.  All he knows is that his new identity is almost as terrifying as the peril unleashing it has brought. Caught in the universal power struggle of an ancient race of beings and a destiny demanded of him that he does not want, he must fight to protect his own life and everyone he holds dear. But when the time comes, will he be strong enough to make the sacrifices that saving them will demand?

Thanks again to Sharon for stopping by! Her book – Sky Song, is part of our giveaway but also available on Sky Song (The Sky Song trilogy)" target="_blank">Amazon

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

Guest Interview – Angela Roquet

I want to give a warm welcome to Angela Roquet and thank her for stopping by. Angela is one of the independant authors taking part in our great giveaway organised by Clare Davidson. You can win 11 ebooks, 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon voucher (open internationally) Just click here to see the great books and to enter.

Angela has kindly answered some interview questions for us. Her book – Graveyard Shift, is available in our giveaway.

Your books are really unique! How would you classify them?

While my series doesn’t contain vampires and werewolves, it is still considered Urban Fantasy, as the story takes place in modern time and it contains a variety of mythical deities and creatures commonly found in fantasy.

Where do you get your ideas for your books from?

I love studying world religions and mythology, and like most story ideas, mine began with a series of daydream questions. What would a modern afterlife look like? What if all the deities of every faith had to coexist on the other side, the same way we have to coexist on this side? What kind of terrorism might threaten a society like that? And who might I need to keep those rebels at bay? And that is how I met Lana Harvey, a Reaper employed by Grim at Reapers Inc., a thriving business in Limbo City, the capital of the afterlife.

Your covers look great! Did you pay an artist to design them?

I am a graphic designer, so fortunately, I was able to design my own covers. I get asked a lot about cover design from new authors who want to design their own covers, but don’t really know how to go about doing it or don’t think they’re talented enough to handle it. There are some really nice, simple cover designs out there that did not require a professional artist. If you can afford it, a professional cover design is great. But if you’re on a tight budget and want to DIY, my suggestion is to keep it simple. It’s okay to use fonts that are fancy, but make sure they are still easy to read. Go for a bright background color, or one that contrasts nicely with your text and images, and don’t underestimate the power of a simple, symbolic graphic. Get on Amazon or Goodreads and really look at the covers. You’re bound to find some inspiration and some examples that are simple enough to replicate.

How do you handle editing as an indie author?

I had three professionals with English degrees edit my first novel, and I still had a few typos slip through. I still find typos in traditionally published books too. It happens. As an indie author, I do not have a ton of books in a warehouse. They’re printed on demand, so I’m able to make corrections if I find an overlooked error. Which, as a perfectionist, I love! If you don’t have a few professionals at your disposal, there are still a few steps you can take to help ensure a grammatically correct novel. Make a list of the things you have the most trouble with, whether that be then vs. than, or grey vs. gray, and do a search in Word to make sure your usage is proper each time. Also, when you do your final read through, start at the end of your novel and read the pages in reverse order. This will help keep you from getting lost in the story. You’ll read slower and more carefully. If you want more tips on how to self-edit, subscribe to my Youtube channel. I’ll be posting a video in the next few weeks covering some common editing pitfalls.

What do you have coming out next?

“For the Birds” the third novel in my series “Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc.”, will be out in April 2013. I’m running in circles trying to finish it and simultaneously do edits. I would also like to release the fourth book in the series later this year, and possibly a standalone YA, either at the end of the year or early 2014.

Author Bio

Urban Fantasy Author Angela Roquet is a great big weirdo. She collects Danger Girl comic books, owls, skulls, and random craft supplies. She no longer collects paperback books, because she can’t fit any more in her office, however she does collect ebooks. Angela lives in Sedalia, Missouri with her husband and son. When she’s not swearing at the keyboard, she enjoys painting, goofing off with her family and friends, and reading books that raise eyebrows.

Watch the Book Trailer for Graveyard Shift

You can stalk Angela on these formats

Website: www.angelaroquet.com

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Thanks again to Angela for stopping by! Her book – Graveyard Shift, is part of our giveaway but also available on Graveyard Shift: (Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc.) (Volume 1)" target="_blank">Amazon.

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

Guest Interview – Rayne Hall

I want to give a warm welcome to Rayne Hall and thank her for stopping by. Rayne is one of the independant authors taking part in our great giveaway organised by Clare Davidson. You can win 11 ebooks, 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon voucher (open internationally) Just click here to see the great books and to enter.

I interviewed Rayne on her new book –  Storm Dancer, which you can win in our giveaway.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

The idea that sparked the Storm Dancer story was that two people who hate each other need to become allies to survive. Although they have previously betrayed and harmed each other, they must now learn to trust.

The novel also explores the theme of how we’re not responsible for what fate deals us, but we’re responsible for how we deal with it.

Further inspiration came from the places where I’ve lived and travelled in Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, and ancient cultures, especially the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Hittites and Persians.

What genre would your book fall under?

Dark Epic Fantasy

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Dahoud fights to protect women from war’s violence – but how can he shield the woman he loves from the evil inside him?

Are there any characters that you love and found easy to write?

I love all my characters dearly. They’re my children… sometimes troublesome or naughty, but close to my heart.

My favourite character is Dahoud, is a troubled hero with a dark past. He seeks to atone for the terrible deeds he committed as a siege commander, and to build a new life of humility and peace. Ruling the land he once devastated, how can he keep the secret of who he really is? Possessed by a demon that tempts him back into his old ways, how long can he resist the lure?

He wasn’t easy to write, though, because he guarded his dark secrets even from me. I had almost completed the book before he admitted the demon, so I had to rewrite the whole story. I had to rewrite it again when I discovered just how dark and terrible his past was.

Merida is a magician who can change the weather with her dance. She’s a lovely woman, warm, compassionate, serious, honest and resourceful, but also tight about principles and prudish. I had wicked fun putting her principles to the test and making her do the things she swore she would never do.

For example, when she learns bellydancing in the harem, she asserts that she would never perform in public or let men see her dance. Later, her only chance to escape captivity is by posing as a tavern entertainer and bellydance for the audience. Watching her squirm, then brace herself to push past her own boundaries was interesting.

She is certain she would never take a human life – but then the lives of a thousand people depend on whether she kills the enemy leader. Will she do it?

Of course she swears never to forgive Dahoud for what he did to her. But perhaps she will… after she gets her own revenge.

Are there any characters in your book that you hate?

I love to hate Kirral, and so do my readers. He likes to let his victims choose between two equally unacceptable options, such as “Do you want to lose one arm or both hands?” Many readers tell me that Kirral is their favourite character. He gets almost as much fan mail as Dahoud.

What other books within your genre would you compare it to?

The readers who love Storm Dancer also enjoy novels by GRR Martin, Marion Zimmer-Bradley, Gene Wolfe, Davild Gemmell, Dave Duncan and Tanith Lee.

Tell us anything else that might pique our interest in your book.

Storm Dancer is set in a Bronze Age-type world with a Middle Eastern flavour. The style is exciting, atmospheric, dark and intense. Dahoud is a flawed hero who needs to learn and grow, and he doesn’t win every battle against the evil inside him.

The book deals with some disturbing topics war, rape, demonic possession, torture, betrayal and human sacrifice, so it’s not for young readers.

Author Bio

Rayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction. She is the author of over forty books in different genres and under different pen names, published by twelve publishers in six countries, translated into several languages. Her short stories have been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies.

You can stalk Rayne on these formats:

Website

Twitter 

Thanks again to Rayne for stopping by! I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly going to get my hand on this book, it sounds right up my street!

Rayne Hall’s book, Storm Dancer, is part of our great giveaway, but is also available on Storm Dancer (Dark Epic Fantasy)" target="_blank">Amazon and Smashwords.

Because she’s awesome, I read, loved and reviewed Writing Fight Scenes" target="_blank">Rayne Hall’s Writing Fight Scenes which you can read here.

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

Indie Author Giveaway

Welcome to the Indie Giveaway! Eleven talented indie authors have banded together to offer you the chance to offer two great prizes. The first haul is 11 ebooks. The second is three signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon gift voucher. Fantastic prizes? I think so! The giveaway is open from midnight GMT on the 25th February until 11:59pm GMT on the 11th March and there’s loads of ways to gain entries.

First, check out the authors and their books below:

Sky Song, by Sharon Sant: An unknown past. An unwanted destiny. A fight for survival.

Dominant Race, by Elisa Nuckle: Lilia, a genetically altered human called a modified, and her allies must choose: help a tyrannical government in the business of killing their kind, or defend someone in the business of killing everyone else?

 

Earth Angel, by Ruth Ellen Parlour: Earth Angels of Eardecia, fighting against their chosen destiny, discover a secret the God’s never told and use it against their sworn enemy.

Graveyard Shift, by Angela Roquet: Lana Harvey is a reaper, and a lousy one at that, but when Grim promotes her to a high risk assignment, all hell breaks loose…

 

 

Blood Roses, by Jason Graves: Madeline and Marissa Owen are identical twins who, with their paper-white skin, look a lot like vampires… well, sometimes, looks can be not at all deceiving.

Sciron, by David Rashleigh: History, mystery, ghosts and a touch of romance in a Lancashire town.

 

 

 

Storm Dancer, by Rayne Hall: Dahoud saves to fight the woman he loves from the evil inside him.

The Priest, by Monica La Porta: Love doesn’t look at skin color/social status/gender. Society can’t restrain our hearts.

 

 

 

The Violet Fox, by Clare Marshall: The Violet Fox is Cinderella meets Robin Hood with a dash of The Little Mermaid.

Torched, by Andrea Lynn Colt: When cheerleader Rose Whitfield is framed for arson, she sets out to clear her name and take prime suspect Paxton down hard–not necessarily in that order.

 

 

Trinity, by Clare Davidson: Three unlikely companions set out to restore a trinity of gods, which was destroyed a millennium ago.

And now for the giveaways! Both are open internationally.

Giveaway one: A fantastic haul of 11 ebooks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway two: 3 signed paperbacks and a $20 Amazon gift voucher

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday Snippets – Short Story

I decided to post a snippet from a short story I wrote last year called ‘On the Corner of Central Avenue.’

Hope you enjoy!

~*~

Bill scanned the stretch of greenery for an available seat. His eyes fell upon his usual shaded bench but perched on one corner was an old man with a stick. Stubble spread across his face like a disease. He wore a ragged jacket and muddied trainers with gaping holes. Great. The man was homeless and sat on the only available bench. Bill thought about heading back to the office but the thought of being confined in that stuffy room, having to listen to Sue talk about her cat, or listen to Michael moan about every significant person in his life, made him dismiss the idea. Then he considered sitting on the grass but he did not want to risk wrinkling his perfect trousers and he imagined the look on Margaret’s face if, knowing him, he ended up sitting in something unsavoury. So the bench it was.

~*~

Thanks for reading! Comments are always welcome

How and Where to Write?

An artist’s studio in Oia, Santorini

Everyone has their own little places and methods of working and they’re all different depending on your personality.

When to write.

I was listening to a podcast where an author was talking about writing in ‘Moon Hours.’ The method is to write immediately when you wake up, still in your pyjamas, before you do anything else. The idea is that your brain has not had time to fully wake and become distracted by things in the day. Because you were just sleeping, your brain is still tuned into a subconscious creative mode. And that method works for some people.

Writing late at night is similar to the Moon Hours method in so much as you’re closer to your dream state than you would be during the day. If I write at night, I like to write in bed, with candles and fairy lights and some quiet background music (the only time I listen to Smooth Radio.)

Places to write.

I think it’s a good idea to try and write in different places and see how your writing differs. I’d love to try writing in a café but I have a thing about dining alone. I’ve written on trains and I used to write in the common room at collage. I could try the library, writing on a beach, in a forest, as long as I am safe and cosy.

Personally I like writing first thing on a morning, after I’ve fed the rabbit of course, sat on the couch in my pyjamas with a blanket or in my onesie. I do my best to bash out a few words before breakfast. I don’t have a special room to write in, I’ve always done my work in the living room because I have the peace and quiet that I need (furry company accepted). I can’t work with a TV or radio on or if there’s a few people talking (background noise is fine – like a café or train.) Not everyone has the benefit of peace and quiet so might need a special writing room.

Thanks for reading!

How and where do you like to write?

Friday Snippets – Pearl Dust

Here’s another snippet from my short story – Pearl Dust. This time it’s a piece of description. I’m going to be entering this into One More Day Anthology competition from J. Taylor Publishing. Wish me luck!

~*~

The warm smell of fried eggs and cheese still lingered in the large kitchen. The kitchen appliances seemed fifty years out of date. The crooked, worn table seemed medieval and the slate floor tiles were always cold. Cracks in the plaster ran all along the walls and pans hung from hooks in the ceiling. Cara was still unused to living in such an old building. The stone walls were three feet deep in some places but they helped little to keep out the cold. Not a single door or window frame seemed to match in size and none were parallel to each other, the floors or ceiling. Upstairs every floor plank groaned and Cara was sure that some of them would soon give way.

Thanks for reading, comments are always welcome!

Beating the Writing Slump

Recently I’ve been in a writing slump. This is different to writer’s block in the way that I wanted to write, I had story ideas, but every time I opened up the Word Doc or looked at my printed MS I didn’t know how to proceed and what to do to make it better. I’m blaming self-doubt for this. That voice in the back of my mind piped up, thinking that everything I did was no good.

How to beat the slump

There were four things I did to bring myself back out of the slump.

1) Defining a theme. I felt there was no focus in my stories (yes – I was in a slump for all three short stories I was writing.) I knew what the plot was but something just felt missing so I defined my theme. Defining the theme gave me a better idea about the conflict and gave me more ideas about how to present each scene and ways to show my theme using the characters. It gave my story more focus.

2) What I love about the characters. I’ve written about some of the characters before, I knew them well, but somehow they felt 2D. I needed to rediscover what I loved about them, their quirks and flaws and the dynamics between each other. I had to work out the conflict and their history. Falling in love with them again brought back my enthusiasm to write the story.

3) Why I wanted to write the story. What did I have to say that was so important that people would take the time to read? What did I want readers to take away from my story? How did I want them to feel when reading it? What was the purpose? This is tricky to figure out and I still don’t think I’ve wrapped my head around it. For me, I love my characters, and I want my readers to get to know and love them as I do.

4) Write through the doubt. It was difficult to shut that voice up but I did it with focus. I sat down with my printed MS and let myself just focus on the words and edit as I normally would. When I’m not focussed on what I’m doing then self-doubt tries to drag me down. I had to focus to work through it.

I worked myself out of this writing slump and had a great writing sprint, I just hope that I can keep it up and remember these steps for future slumps. Self-doubt is the killer of creativity. Remember that!

Have you suffered through writing slumps? If you have any tips of how you overcame them, please share!