failures – shannonmeyerkort.com

How I write

My writing process is like a mixed bag of lollies – grab a handful and see what you get | Shannon Meyerkort

Your brain is a cheat and a liar

When you are close to your work, you often can’t see errors anymore, but I discovered a great tool that helps me hear them instead | Shannon Meyerkort

Taking your character out for tea

“It’s strange to think that someone who has been part of my life for so long can be so unknown. It’s even stranger when you consider that I am her creator.” Learning to know your character | Shannon Meyerkort

2020: My Best Year Yet

This year I had a success rate of 14%, and while this number isn’t something many people would publicly announce, what lies behind the 14% is an achievement I am proud of | Shannon Meyerkort

Starting from Scratch (again)

What happens when you realise you need to rewrite your entire book because you didn’t tell the story you thought you had? A lesson in starting over | Shannon Meyerkort

Writing Character Arcs (or Falling in Love with your Characters)

‘But does Winnie actually want a husband and children, or is she happily single?’ my mentor Brooke asked as we discussed my book, Letting Go. ‘What does she want from life?’ ‘Ahhhhh,’ was my rather inarticulate response. I didn’t know. It suited my purposes for this particular character to be childless, but I hadn’t consideredContinue reading “Writing Character Arcs (or Falling in Love with your Characters)”

Addicted to flashbacks

An addiction to flashbacks may sound like I misspent my youth, but in reality I have discovered an over-reliance on a literary technique that threatens to turn my book into a time-hopping debacle.

Why You Should Keep a Record of Rejection

What embarrassing secrets have I got hidden in my ‘rejection file’? Why writers should keep records of their submissions | Shannon Meyerkort

Spending the $50million

I’m sure you’re familiar with that marvelous feeling, after you have bought a lotto ticket but before the draw, where the possibility of winning the $50 million dollars is so real and tangible you can taste it. When you are making lists in your head, spending your winnings, deciding which holidays to go on, whichContinue reading “Spending the $50million”

When should you say goodbye?

It’s certainly not my favourite thing to do, but every now and then I follow my business mentor’s advice and think about boring things like SEO and search terms. Deep down I’m a writer, and my greatest joy is putting words on a page and sending them out to the world. Worrying about whether thoseContinue reading “When should you say goodbye?”