When You Become a “Real” Writer Do you feel like a “real” writer? Many writers don’t. Not until they have a book published and can’t point to the shelf in the bookstore as proof.  I felt that way for a … Continue reading →

Weddings and Writing On my wedding day, I got to live out my little-girl dreams. I was marrying my Prince Charming, in a hotel that was the closest thing Ottawa had to a castle, with a gorgeous dress that would … Continue reading →

Story vs Life I harp on my clients—and myself—all the time about cause-and-effect in writing. To ensure a story makes sense, one scene has to lead to another. Because of this, THEN that…  Cause-and-effect controls the pacing of the story, and … Continue reading →

Comp Titles and Confidence Comp titles make me shudder. They are comparative (or competitive) titles, books that are similar in some way to yours. They are a marketing tool used by author, publisher, distributor and bookseller to help everyone figure … Continue reading →

What We Can Learn from Terry Fox Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete who lost his leg to cancer, embarked on his 1980 Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research. He had to end his quest … Continue reading →

When Your Book Flies the Nest You may have heard how some writers feel like their books are their babies—loving and nurturing (and being driven crazy!) by them. Some argue it isn’t a fair metaphor since books are a business, … Continue reading →

It’s the Journey I’ve always hated the “inspirational” saying, It’s the journey, not the destination. 24 hours to Florida in the backseat of your car with your sister as a kid? Nope. A long flight to New Zealand with young children? … Continue reading →

And How to Fight It Thanks to my FairyBookseller, Perfect Books in Ottawa, my dream came true! I saw, with my very own eyes, my very own book on a real bookshelf in a real bookstore.  Excited? Absolutely.  Feeling like … Continue reading →

A Smile and a Wave In nice weather, I’ll often go for a run. But where I live, all my routes involve starting uphill. (Yes, yes, yes, downhill on the way back, but that’s not what I’m thinking when I begin…:) )  … Continue reading →

Publication Day! When are you “done” writing? When the first draft is finished? When the manuscript is complete? When you land an agent or publisher or find the right independent publishing path for you? When you hold a hard copy … Continue reading →