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
Tag: failures
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 considered … Continue 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, which … Continue 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 those … Continue reading When should you say goodbye?
Weasel Words and Tips for Writers
‘I could see her looking at me, as she readied herself to tell me about my overuse of weasel words in the nicest possible way. I felt my face tighten as I braced myself for the impact of her words.’ Or ‘She looked at me, ready to tell me about my overuse of weasel words. … Continue reading Weasel Words and Tips for Writers
A character by any other name
While my novel has been inspired by real-life people, it is ultimately fiction and so all my characters needed new names when I began to write. A character’s name is so important, it is worn like an item of clothing that one cannot remove. It distinguishes you and discloses things about you, more than we … Continue reading A character by any other name
Starting a New Blog – Mistakes I am Not Making This Time
Today marks the launch of my fourth blog: Fundraising Mums. Actually, if I’m being honest there was that other anonymous blog I started a couple of years ago and then freaked out and stopped publishing. It’s still out there in the virtual world, gathering dust and confusing people. But Fundraising Mums is the first blog … Continue reading Starting a New Blog – Mistakes I am Not Making This Time
