I am notorious for starting projects and not finishing them. There are half a dozen unfinished novels on my computer and about 30 short stories that never survived past the first draft. But I feel my current WIP is different. I’m 3 months into it and I’m even more enthusiastic about it than when I … Continue reading Maintaining Momentum (Writing Update)
Living to Write (Update)
Create. Submit. Create. Submit. This process was daunting for the longest time. Now it has become something I live for. For the first time in my life, I feel like a real writer. I found my rhythm this month. I checked off all the boxes of what I wanted to accomplish and had some pleasant … Continue reading Living to Write (Update)
Building a World
There is a certain god-like satisfaction in creating a world. With ink and paper, you can breathe life into a setting that would otherwise exist only in your mind. This past week I’ve been doing just that. Worldbuilding has been a favorite hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. I was around … Continue reading Building a World
What I Read – August/September 2022
Quantitatively, I didn’t read that much these past two months—so I've combined the books into one post. I lost a week and a half of reading time after I came down with COVID, and for much of the past month, I’ve been making my way through the gargantuan novel It. Still, I managed to read … Continue reading What I Read – August/September 2022
New Project! (Writing Update)
Once in a while, I’ll have an idea that captivates me. It’s all that I can think about between waking up and going to sleep. My mind constantly spins, refining and adding to that idea. It’s been years since I felt like this. So, when that idea hit, I was beyond elated. I’m speaking of … Continue reading New Project! (Writing Update)
Short Story Marathon (Writing Update)
I said I wouldn’t push myself too hard, but that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. My New Year’s resolution was to submit at least three stories for publication. So, I’ve found three anthologies that are right up my alley. Unfortunately, I should not have started this resolution two-thirds of the way through the year. With … Continue reading Short Story Marathon (Writing Update)
Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
Recently, I've been putting in 5 to 7 hours of reading and writing a day. I’m in training. Like any athlete, I need to condition, to push myself, to master the skills of the game. This may seem excessive, but Stephen King recommends at least 4 to 6 hours daily and Dean Koontz is known … Continue reading Training for a Novel (Writing Update)
What I Read – June 2022
This was one of those wonderful months where every book I read was gold. No, I’m not King Midas. I just had luck when picking books off my shelf. As such, I would recommend all the books below—especially if you’re looking for well-written, exciting horror. I’m putting a moratorium on buying books until I attend … Continue reading What I Read – June 2022
From Plotter to Pantser (Writing Update)
If you had told me a couple years ago that I would forsake my meticulous outlines, I would have never believed you. Writing a story is analogous to an old sea voyage. You can start with the nautical charts ahead of time or you can set out on the seas and see where the wind … Continue reading From Plotter to Pantser (Writing Update)
What I Read – May 2022
Read widely. It’s on nearly every writing how-to article out there. But while it is always my intention to explore new genres and vary my reading, I end up sticking to the same type of books I always read. So, I invented a regimented system, specifying the exact order in which I would read different … Continue reading What I Read – May 2022
Zé Burns | Blog 