Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
Bad critiquing can pop somebody’s bubble without being helpful by Anne R. Allen I often advise new writers to look for a critique group to help them learn the writing ropes and get free feedback as well as the support they need when starting on a writing journey. But critique groups vary widely and some […]
by James Scott Bell When I started to teach writing in the late 90s, I channeled my inner Charlton Heston and announced 10 Commandments for Writers. A cheeky thing to do, I admit. But when I reviewed them recently, I found I wouldn’t change one of them. So here they are, with attached comment. 1) […]
by Anne R. Allen In her 1990 book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron warns creatives about crazymakers, the people who have no respect for your work and dominate your time with endless drama. But crazymakers aren’t the only people who can hurt your chances of having a successful creative career. There are a lot of […]
by Ruth Harris What? There’s an upside to Impostor Syndrome? Yes. A sane, healthy mid-point exists between being stalled out by Impostor Syndrome and obnoxious, raging egomania so rancid even your dog hates you. Authentic modesty keeps you real — and productive. A certain degree of Impostor Syndrome can be the necessary spur that motivates […]
by Ruth Harris Decisions, decisions. Steak or salmon? Red or white? Wash the car or mow the lawn? Weights or barre class? Do the laundry or empty the dishwasher? Mustard or mayo? Petunias or pansies? Cheddar or Swiss? So what? What’s the big deal? Why are you wasting my time with stupid questions? I’ve got […]
by Anne R. Allen Here’s more about the mistakes I made so you don’t have to. If I had worked harder on these things instead of doggedly piling up wordcount without having a clue what I was doing, I’d have saved myself a lot of time and heartbreak on my road to publication. 1) Come […]
by Anne R. Allen Internet trolls and other masters of malice we meet on the Web can ruin a writing day — and even a career. We all know we shouldn’t “feed” the trolls, but that’s easier said than done. Especially if the trolls are telling lies about you or attacking your readers and […]
by Ruth Harris Lists will make writing your book faster and easier — and bail you out when you get stuck. Lists. Grocery lists. Laundry lists. To do lists. Playlists. Witness lists Bucket lists. Wait lists Watch lists Lists run our lives. Lists keep us on track. Lists keep things simple. Lists make things clear. […]
by Ruth Harris Why is cooking — often? usually? sometimes? — more appealing than writing? *Even if you’re only a halfway decent cook, just about everyone will eat and enjoy what you made — and tell you so. * If you’re only a halfway decent writer, no one will enjoy what you wrote — or will […]
by Anne R. Allen Social Media Executor? That may not be a term you’re familiar with, but believe me, you need one. That hit home for me this week after the tragic death of my friend, the kind, talented, funny author Barbara Silkstone. I hadn’t heard from her for a month or two, so […]
by Ruth Harris How often should you water a cactus? What is the name of the president who came before Abraham Lincoln? How do you blow up a bridge? What’s so special about the Sydney opera house? What does SPECTRE stand for? In the course of writing a novel, a writer — one who will […]
Dangerous Critiques can Turn Your WIP into a Jackalope by Anne R. Allen One of the most damaging things a new writer can do is try to please everybody who beta-reads or critiques their WIP. I’ve seen a novel turned into a kind of jackalope of unrelated parts. If you tend to be a “people […]
Writer’s block has hit a lot of us during the pandemic By William L. Hahn Other than a single flash piece before Christmas, I haven’t written a solitary word on my epic fantasy world in more than a year. And holy crow, do I need to. Not only do I have a complete, well-envisioned novel […]
