About This Writing Thing

Historical women's fiction author Kim Taylor Blakemore joins Sayword on the show to talk about her most recent release, The Good Time Girls, starting her own imprint, what her writing process is like, especially since she is one of those rare authors who exist in the traditional and indie publishing realms, and her favorite writing advice. In addition to western historicals, Kim has three gothic historicals under her belt, The Companion (Lake Union, 2020), After Alice Fell (Lake Union, 2021), and The Deception (Lake Union, 2022), as well as the YA titles Bowery Girl and Cissy Funk. Outside of writing, Kim is an editor and workshop presenter. You can learn more about her and her work by visiting kimtaylorblakemore.com.   You can learn more about Sayword B. Eller by visiting saywordbeller.com.   A message from Sayword: Thank you so much for making About This Writing Thing one of the highlights of these past four years. Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to keep up with what I'm doing after ATWT, sign up for my quarterly newsletter on my website. 

Maggie Giles debut thrilled TWISTED will publish September 19, 2023 through Rising Action Publishing and Blackstone Publishing.  Learn more about Maggie by visiting maggiegiles.com or by finding her on Instagram (@maggiegiles_). Learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller by visiting saywordbeller.com

Sheila Myers is the author of The Truth of Who You Are (Black Rose Writing 2022). She writes women's fiction and historical fiction, and she is a professor. You can learn more about Sheila and her work by visiting sheilamyers.com.   If you'd like to know more about your host Sayword B. Eller, or sign up for her quarterly newsletter, visit saywordbeller.com.

Gloria is the author of the award-winning 2022 indie release, California Sister. In our interview she speaks about her beginnings in the world of writing at the tender age of eighteen and how her writing has evolved from writing for magazines to writing novels. To learn more about Gloria Mattioni, visit gloriamattioni.com. To learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller, visit saywordbeller.com  

Women's fiction author Jenn Bouchard is the author of First Course (Touch Point Press, 2021). Her day job for the past 23 years has been teaching social studies to eager high school studies. She is a member of Grub Street, Women's Fiction Writer's Association (WFWA), and The Eleventh Chapter. Her follow up novel, Palms on the Cape is upcoming.   You can learn more about Jenn and her work at jennbouchard.com You can also follow her on Instagram: @jennbouchardbos To learn more about your host visit saywordbeller.com You can also find Sayword on Instagram: @sayword_b_eller & Threads: @sayword_b_eller@threads.net (from your mobile phone).  

Emma Dhesi is an author, podcaster, and book coach located in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this interview she talks about her newest publication, Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book (February 2023), her writing life, and her favorite writing advice. We also manage to talk a little bit about the beauty of Edinburgh.  To learn more about Emma visit: emmadhesi.com  To learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller, visit: saywordbeller.com

Host Sayword B. Eller interviews women's fiction author Elizabeth Sumner Wafler about her upcoming release, A Cleft in the World, and her journey from school teacher to a multi-published author.  To learn more about Elizabeth visit her website: elizabethsumnerwafler.com. To learn more about her publisher, She Writes Press, visit their website: shewritespress.com. To learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller, visit her website: saywordbeller.com

Host Sayword B. Eller interviews women's fiction author, Joanna Monahan whose debut, Something Better, will be released by Blue Ink Press on June 20, 2023.  You can find out more about Joanna by going to her website: joannamonahan.com. You can learn more about her publisher Blue Ink Press by going to their website: blueinkpress.com. You can learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller, by visiting her website: saywordbeller.com.

Women's Fiction Day is June 8, 2023, so I thought I would invite two of my writing pals on to discuss the changing landscape of the genre, what it means to us, and what we see for the future of women's fiction.    Kerry Chaput is the award-winning author of the Defying the Crown series as well as the upcoming Chasing Eleanor. You can find more information about Kerry and her work at kerrywrites.com. Maggie Giles is the author of the women's fiction title The Things We Lost, and the upcoming suspense thriller Twisted. You can learn more about Maggie and her work at maggiegiles.com. To learn more about your host, Sayword B. Eller, and her work, visit saywordbeller.com. To learn more about the Women's Fiction Writers Association visit their website: womensfictionwriters.org If you enjoy this podcast episode, please consider giving it a thumbs up and sharing it with your friends.    As always, thank you for your support!  

Season 4 is coming back with more interviews in June 2023! 

Host Sayword B. Eller interviews indie romance author of very spicy things, Leela Lou Dahlin. Leela can be found on TikTok (@leelalouwritesromance). You can also visit her link tree: DahlinGirlAuthor.   To sign up for the ATWT newsletter: saywordbeller.com/podcast To learn how to submit to the ATWT newsletter: saywordbeller.com/submission guidelines To keep up with ATWT on IG: @aboutthiswritingthing To keep up with Sayword on IG: @saybeller To sign up for Sayword's newsletter: saywordbeller.com

Jere Anthony's work conjures the early aught work of Helen Fielding and Gemma Townley. It's funny without being over the top, and it's touching without being melodramatic. It's also just a bit naughty. I think she's the perfect author to read to escape the blues or just relax and enjoy a glass of wine (or tea, or soda). I, for one, can't wait for you to learn more about her delightful stories.  Places to find Jere: Instagram jereanthony.com linktr.ee/Author_jere_anthony   Places to find Sayword: saywordbeller.com (join my mailing list here!) Instagram   Places to find About This Writing Thing: saywordbeller.com/podcast (join the mailing list here!) Instagram  

This week I'm sitting down with contemporary indie author Colleen Young to talk about imposter syndrome, Romance and genre acceptance, and the challenges of not feeling "good enough". Colleen has been writing since 2016 and has published 7 full-length novels. In addition, she has also published companion novellas and a short story. You can learn more about Colleen by visiting her website (colleenyoungwriter.com) or finding her on Instagram (@colleenyoungwriter).   Don't forget ATWT's newsletter is debuting in February 2023! If you would like to submit an article for consideration please visit saywordbeller.com/submissionguidelines to find out how. Themes for the first four issues are as follows: February: Getting Unstuck March: Writing About/With Emotion April: Characterization May: Endings   To sign up for the ATWT newsletter, please visit saywordbeller.com/podcast and complete the embedded form.    If you would like to know more about the host, Sayword B. Eller, visit saywordbeller.com, or find me on Instagram.   You can keep up with what's happening with ATWT between shows by following the podcast on Instagram!

This week I'm speaking with Contemporary Women's Fiction author Rosey Lee. We talk a little about her debut (coming spring 2024) and a little about her life as a physician, but mostly we talk about her writing journey and what she thinks is the most valuable advice for authors. I hope you enjoy listening to this interview as much as I enjoyed recording it! To learn more about Rosey Lee: roseyleebooks.com Rosey Lee's Instagram Rosey Lee's Facebook To learn more about Sayword B. Eller saywordbeller.com Sayword's Instagram   Sign up for About This Writing Thing's Newsletter (coming February 2023) by clicking HERE and filling out the box at the top of the page.  For submission guidelines for ATWT newsletter, click HERE.   Next time on About This Writing Thing, I'll be speaking with indie romance author Colleen Young. 

From her website: "Rosie Wylor-Owen is a USA Today Bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance books." Her most recent release, Valkyrie Broken, completes her 7-book The Rogue Valkyrie Series. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Rosie (virtually, of course, as she currently lives near London) to discuss her newest release, what's it's like to be an indie author, and was even able to get some darn good writing advice from her.  If you're interested in learning more about Rosie and her work, you can visit her website: https://rosiewylor-owen.com/. If you'd like to connect with Rosie on social media, you can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.   This is your millionth reminder that About This Writing Thing is debuting a monthly newsletter in February 2023. You'll find writing advice, publishing advice, querying advice, and writing life experiences from other writers. Just visit my website to sign up! If you're interested in submitting, you can visit the submission guidelines page to learn how to submit.    If you want to find Sayword B. Eller on social media you can fine me on Instagram and (sometimes ) TikTok. You can also find this podcast on Instragram!

Since the recording of this episode, the publication date for Lynn's newest release, What the Monkey Saw, has been pushed to January 24, 2023. Not to worry, though, you can pre-order a copy HERE! Interested in reading Lynn's work? Visit lynnchandlerwillis.com Find Lynn on social media: Facebook: @lynnchandlerwillis Instagram: @lynnchandlerwillis_author   Want to sign up for About This Writing Thing's newsletter? Click HERE! Interested in reading Sayword B. Eller's work? Visit saywordbeller.com Find me on Instagram: @saybeller  

Want to sign up for the About This Writing Thing newsletter? Click HERE. Interested in learning more about Megan? Visit meganmusgrove.com. Want to find Megan on Instagram? @meg_muz   Interested in reading Sayword B. Eller's work? Visit saywordbeller.com Want to find Sayword on Instagram? @saybeller Want to find About This Writing Thing on Instagam? @aboutthiswritingthing

You can find Dianne C. Braley at: Amazon Instagram diannecbraley.com   You can find Sayword B. Eller at: saywordbeller.com Instagram TikTok: @sayword_b_eller

Places to find author Jen Craven: jencraven.com Instagram TikTok: @jencraven   Places to find Sayword B. Eller saywordbeller.com Instagram TikTok: @sayword_b_eller

When introducing Kerry I mistitled her indie book The Darkness We Carry.  Learn more about Kerry on her website: KerryWrites.com NOTE: We DO care about static characters. 

Buy Stephanie's books HERE Find Stephanie on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (@stephanieverniwrites)   Find me on Instagram and TikTok (@sayword_b_eller) or visit me at saywordbeller.com   You can find a video recording of this episode on YouTube.

You can subscribe to my newsletter by visiting saywordbeller.com Find me on social media: Instagram &on TikTok (@sayword_b_eller)

In this episode I challenge you to get a traditionally published book and look for commas after beats. I think if you do find any, their numbers will be few. In this section, I say not to get a self-published title. I mean no offense to self-pubbed authors (of which I am one). What I mean is, it will be much more difficult to find a well-edited self-pubbed work than it will be to find a well-edited trad published work. This is not a knock on those indie authors who go above and beyond to put out the best work possible. Merely an acknowledgment that great work can be difficult to find among work that still needs a few rounds with an editor.    Find me on Instagram and Twitter! Or, visit my website: saywordbeller.com   As always, thank you for your supporting this podcast! 

Is "write for yourself? bad writing advice? Sometimes it absolutely is.    No show notes this week.    Interested in what I'm doing between shows? You can find me on Instagram and Twitter, or you can look for updates on my website: saywordbeller.com.   Thank you for your continued support!

No show notes this time around.    Thank you so much for your continued support of About This Writing Thing.  If you want to know what I'm up to between shows, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter. You can also get updates on my website: saywordbeller.com

There is a companion piece for this episode. You can find it on my blog.   Email me: sayword@saywordbeller.com Find me on social media: Instagram & Twitter!

Show Notes: In case you're wondering about my submission journey at the moment, it's at the juncture of Maybe and Not Going to Happen. My agent is working hard to sell the title and I have total faith in her. However, I'm losing faith in me and, most of all, publishing as a whole. I did a TikTok video last week where I lamented the process a bit. I'm afraid I rambled. Not surprising, I know, so I don't know if I made my point beyond I'm frustrated. I read Publisher's Weekly every week and see these huge deals and then I think about the writers I know with great books that didn't sell. I know a handful of writers whose first books didn't sell and this isn't something that's uncommon in the traditional publishing world. When we're trying to land an agent that step is built up as the end all, be all. If we can just get an agent then we'll be okay. Sorry to break it to you, that isn't always the case. Sometimes, (more often than I realized) not even your agent's passion for your book can get it sold to a publisher. This means that the book we worked so hard on for months and months (most often years) languishes, because after they take the book out and it's declined (or ignored) by everyone, that's it for that book baby. You have to put it to bed ala Sleeping Beauty and hope that one day a heroic knight (i.e. editor/publisher) will come along and wake it from its slumber. We're nowhere near that point now with Catching Fireflies, but it hasn't stopped me from panicking about getting to that point. Word of warning to those of you who've chosen a traditional publishing path: Get ready to have your emotions seriously played with. I still have hope for my book baby, but I will say that the closer we get to August and then the end of the year, the closer I will be to having a complete and total failed-writer breakdown. The good news, though, is that I have the first draft of my second novel almost completed. I think that's good news anyway. If you're experiencing similar oh-woe-is-me moments in your writing life, send me a message or an email and we can commiserate. I'm pretty good at that. Now, let's talk about adverbs. First and foremost, what is an adverb? According Callum Sharp at The Writing Cooperative, an adverb is "A word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb, or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or degree." Most often those adverbs end in "L-Y" (i.e. sudden-ly, angri-ly, happi-ly, bitter-ly, awkward-ly, etc.), and most often those adverbs can be found in dialogue tags, otherwise referred to end tags. From Allow me to remind you of Elmore Leonard's rule #4: Never use an adverb to modify said. I'm a firm believer that writing rules aren't really rules at all. They're guidelines. Some are too rigid, too restrictive. While others seem like something tossed out into the writingverse to see how many people would be crazy enough to follow it. Elmore Leonard has ten writing rules. Most of them are good. Several of them should be modified. These are rules that worked for him while writing. They, in his opinion, made his writing stronger, and if they made his writing stronger they'll certainly make our writing stronger, right? Maybe. I like rule number 4. It makes sense because if you're using an adverb to modify said, you probably haven't done your job with the action in the scene. It comes across as lazy or amateurish to use adverbs to let your readers know how a character is saying something. On Twitter last week a writer posted that they had no idea exclamation points are so abhorred in writing. They used over 100 in what they were working on and they were thinking that was a bit much. I agree. As I read through the replies, though, I found one that exemplifies exactly why the rule exists: "I use exclamation marks to demonstrate tone in my character's dialogue." This, my friends, is bad, bad, bad. It shows that you aren't using the actions in the scene to your advantage, that you're counting on that exclamation point, or adverb, to do the heavy lifting for you. It's certainly easier to write: "This is your fault!" Cameron exclaimed angrily. But think of the disservice you're doing to your readers. You're not allowing them to connect with Cameron or the scene because you're telling them how he said something. You're TELLING them that Cameron is angry and that his exclamation is angry. What if we take Chuck Palahnuik's advice (https://litreactor.com/essays/chuck-palahniuk/nuts-and-bolts-%E2%80%9Cthought%E2%80%9D-verbs) and unpack this a bit.  Cameron stalked to the door, then back to where she sat on the sofa. His eyes flashed, nostrils flared as he looked from her to the cursed book on the table. "This is your fault," he said, finger jutting out to emphasize the accusation. We know Cameron is angry because of his actions and the way his body is responding to the situation. Using the verb "stalked" lets the reader know he's moving with anger. His eyes are flashing and his nostrils flaring, a bodily response to the anger he's feeling, and then he points at her, his finger "jutting", another strong verb to indicate anger. Full disclosure here, if you look at my work from seven, ten, and twenty years ago, you're going to find adverbs in end tags. That's how they were writing when I was first learning the craft. We even see it now from authors, especially those who publish more than one book in a year. It's tough to put out solid work that follows the important guidelines of writing if your publishing schedule is rapid. When you publish often syntax suffers. That's just facts. In addition to adverbs in my early writing, you'll also find head hopping, stilted dialogue, and very shallow characters. I'm not embarrassed by this (anymore). After all, I was a baby writer and they're allowed to make all the mistakes. For a little while. Callum Sharp says, in a 2019 article for The Writing Cooperative, that, "Adverbs remove […] interpretation. Adverbs show your hand to the reader rather than build curiosity and individual thought. They're ugly, superfluous and unenjoyable to look at on the page" (Sharp 2019). From I pretty much agree 100% with this statement, especially when the adverb is in the dialogue tag or the action surrounding the dialogue. Personally, I think when people hear the adverb rule they think it applies to the entire narrative. It's understandable, given that American culture often takes an all or nothing approach. Someone says you can't use adverbs? That must mean we can't use them anywhere in our books. They can't do that! I refuse to be held fast to some "rule" that isn't even backed by the writing police! Seriously, y'all, calm down. Adverbs are as necessary in fiction as bending those antiquated grammar and syntax rules that, were we to follow them, make our writing stilted and yawn-inducing. I mean, can you imagine writing or reading an entire novel with no adverbs? Me either. We don't need a ton of them, but we do need them on occasion. You know, like an exclamation point. Though we have this propensity to get our hackles up if we feel someone (or a lot of someones) are contradicting us or trying to make us stop using things we love (I once said they could have my passive voice when they pried it from my cold, dead hands), the knee-jerk defensive reaction isn't really needed when it comes to adverbs. First of all, I honestly believe it is intended specifically for "L-Y" adverbs, and second, it tends to be specific to dialogue end tags or the action directly related to said dialogue. So, for the sake of this podcast episode, I'm only talking about using adverbs in end tags.  How often do you register he said, she said, I said, etc. when you're reading a novel or short story? Personally, I don't notice them unless they come after every single piece of dialogue. FYI, you don't need to have he/she/I/you/name said after every single piece of their dialogue. 1) We should know who's speaking based on the flow of the conversation and 2) It becomes super tedious. Just don't do it. What I'm trying to get at here is that dialogue tags (or end tags) are meant to be invisible. Use too many and your readers will start to see them. That is bad. It's equally bad if they notice them because the action in the scene isn't doing its job. Let's look at this first draft scene from my current WIP. “Where is this place?” I ask, breaking the silence that's covered us since leaving the hotel. “Just ahead,” she says, her voice quiet, troubled. “How did you find her sister's name?” “Genealogy search. I looked at the census records for Rendy Altizer, which led me to her maiden name, which led me to census records from her childhood.” She glances over at me. “Have you never done a genealogy search before?” “I didn't want to strike out twice.” The answer is glib, I know, but it's the most honest I can be with her about why I've never attempted to find my mother's family. She nods. “I get that.” First off, you can see that I've modified Elmore Leonard's rule #3 by using "ask". I'm good with using "ask" or "asked" because sometimes "said" just isn't appropriate. Rule #3 says "Never use a verb other than said to carry dialogue" (Leonard). My rule #3 says, "Try not to use a verb other than said or ask to carry dialogue". We should avoid speaking in absolutes in this business. Something works or it doesn't, but sometimes what doesn't work for one of us works for another. Unless it's adverbs in end tags. Back to this scene. My preferred writing style is to identify the speaker using said or ask early in the conversation and then (if there are only two people in the scene) leave out the saids or asks until midway through when it may be necessary to remind the reader who is talking. However, I like to use actions during conversations (as we all should), so this helps keep the reader on track. Did you get lost in the conversation above? Did you understand that the situation these two characters find themselves in is a bit troubling? I hope so because that's what I was aiming for. Two things that you will find largely missing are end tags and L-Y adverbs in the end tags. My goal is to convey the tension and uncertainty of their situation with actions and dialogue. This is a first draft, though, so even this is subject to change during revision. I still won't be adding end tags with adverbs, just to be clear. Here's the main thing you should remember about writing fiction: we want the reader to be affected. If they don't feel connected to the characters and their conflicts, they're not going to care about them. We do this in a multitude of ways. We learn to make our characters convey emotions in their actions the same way we do it in reality. When talking to new writers about writing character emotions, I always tell them to think about how they feel emotionally and physically when things happen to them. When they're betrayed how does their body, heart, and mind react? When they find those feelings, I tell them to write from them. Let us feel their character's heartbeat quicken, their legs quake, and their heart shatter. You can read more about the pros and cons of using adverbs in end tags in the linked resources located below.   Resources: https://prowritingaid.com/art/324/What%E2%80%99s-Wrong-with-an-%E2%80%9Cly%E2%80%9D-Adverb-After-a-Dialogue-Tag.aspx https://www.autocrit.com/editing/support/adverbs-in-dialogue/   Find me on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok (@saybeller) Find this podcast on Instagram & Twitter

Show Transcript: Hello, and welcome to About This Writing Thing, a bi-weekly podcast about living the writing life. I am your host, Sayword B. Eller, novelist, short story writer, and podcaster.   Last week I heard some pretty terrible writing advice on TikTok. I know, right? This video encouraged writers to forego "said" and embellish with punchier verbs like "retorted", "expounded", "wept", etc.   Elmore Leonard's "10 Rules of Writing" hangs above my desk. Mere inches from the top of my screen. Rule number 3: Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue."   I'm not in the all or nothing camp. I think sometimes it's okay to use a verb other than said in an end tag, but I think it should be done sparingly. Most often we should be using actions to indicate how a character is saying their dialogue, but now and then a simple verb may be used. In other words, sometimes "asked" is necessary, but never "shouted", especially if you've used an exclamation mark.   One thing I 100% agree with Leonard on is rule 4: Never use an adverb to modify "said". I know bestselling authors do it, but this is an instance where you should seriously avoid following their lead. It's amateurish and lazy to let an adverb do what the actions of your characters should be doing. No surprise here, but that bad TikTok writing advice I mentioned came with a list featuring scores of adverbs.   I know Stephen King's It is riddled with adverbs in dialogue tags. Trust me, I tried to read it. But even he added in his 1999 memoir/craft book that we should avoid adverbs. What's the quote again? Oh yes, "While to write adverbs is human, to use 'he said' or 'she said' is divine." We'll talk more about adverbs and end tags in a couple of weeks.   What is the main use for end tags? To let the reader know who's speaking, right? Yes, I am right. The question was rhetorical. Some writers do this masterfully. Using end tags sparingly but at the right moment that keeps the reader in the conversation without them pausing to say, "Wait a minute, who said that?"   There is an author whose work I love, but they don't use enough end tags sometimes. In both their books I've found myself (at some point) taken out of the story to try and figure out who is speaking. That's a case where the author is using end tags far too sparingly. Most often, I find myself shrugging and moving on, never really knowing who was speaking, but not knowing gnaws at me. I find this most often in writers who are trying to stay in deep POV. They want the reader completely and totally immersed in a story. Problem is, if I don't know which characters is speaking I'm not longer immersed in the story. Instead, I'm going back to try to follow the line of dialogue and figure out who's saying what.     This is exactly, as writers, we should make a concerted effort to learn as much about end tags and how to use them as possible. Yes, in the '80s and '90s it was all the rage to pretty up the end tag with other verbs and adverbs, but that's when everyone was still writing in third person omniscient and we hadn't quite learned that a limited perspective is favored above a know-it-all one. It gets us closer to the character, lets us feel what they're feeling and experience what they're experiencing without some ever-present entity telling us what's happening.   Speaking of telling, the use of verbs in end tags is a big signal that you're telling instead of showing in your narrative. While some telling is necessary, when our characters are in conversation the last thing we should be doing is telling our readers how they should be hearing the characters speak. This is where action or beats are so important. When in conversation we're not simply sitting stiff and unmoving, so our characters shouldn't be either. There should be movement even in your conversations, just like in real life.   "You don't know what you're talking about!" Sally exclaimed. Isn't nearly as effective as: Sally paced back and forth, hands flying through the air shooting her energy out into the room like bolts of lightning. If only they were. Oh, the havoc she could wreak. She was caught and there was little she could do to deny it now. Turning, she looked at him through eyes that pulsed in time with her rapidly beating heart. "You don't know what you're talking about!"   Okay, it needs some work, but first drafts are supposed to be bad, right?   Even though it's a sub par example, it's still evident why action is preferred over an end tag. An end tag simply tells us how Sally said this dialogue. I want to point out that the exclamation point does that anyway, so "exclaimed" is redundant, but that's a different conversation. In the first example we only know that she exclaimed because the writer told us Sally exclaimed. However, we don't know how she's feeling, what's going through her mind, etc. But in the second example we know that she's agitated because she's pacing back and forth, her hands are flailing about. We also know that she's angry. We don't lose the exclamation point because she needs it there to get that energy out, but we've used her actions to completely eliminate the end tag.   I talk about beats in episode 24. You'll find the link in the description below.   It is important to remember as you listen to this podcast, other podcasts, or read craft books and articles that you remember, writing is subjective. (remainder of section not transcribed)   Because I think we should all develop our own rules for writing, here are the rules I follow when it comes to end tags: Don't use an end tag if an action will work better: This is the primary rule in my writing process when it comes to end tags. When going back through my drafts I pay special attention to sections of dialogue to see if I could have used action to convey how something was being said, or who was saying it. Using actions or beats keeps a scene active and keeps the pace moving forward.  Use them at the beginning of a conversation: This signals to the reader know who is in the conversation and who is speaking. They will find their rhythm from there and be able to follow along, thus allowing you to avoid overusing end tags. Use them midway if a conversation is long: This will help the reader keep their place in the conversation. Sometimes if dialogue between two characters goes on for too long the reader may forget who's speaking when. An end tag (but preferably action) midway through the conversation will help the reader keep their place. Never ever use adverbs: In my older writing you will see adverbs galore in my end tags. That's because the writers I was reading when I began writing were from that school of writers who believed that adverbs jazzed up your end tags. Truth is, they don't. Nowadays they just make you look lazy. I'm not putting these writers down. I loved their work at one time. But, like everything else, I evolved and changed with the times. Most of them have as well.   The same things that were popular 10, 20, and 30 years ago in writing are not popular now and when you continue to use them your writing appears dated, and you look like a writer unwilling to learn new things. What's rule #1 of being a writer? You will never know everything there is to know about writing. Why? Because writing is an ever-evolving organism. It shifts and changes with the times. We should do so as well.   When should we use end tags?   The simple answer is, when they're needed. This is something you will learn over time and through reading and being critiqued. The thing to remember is that we're not perfect. What you write today will make you cringe five or ten years from now because you will be a different writer then.   Look for your cues. If you read your dialogue out loud and you begin to register the "he saids" and "she saids" then you've used too many. If you read the dialogue out loud and you lose who's talking, you haven't used enough. If you have verbs other than "said" or "asked", pay attention to those passages and see if you can add an action or beat that will eliminate the end tag. Usually if you're using verbs outside of "said" or "asked" you're telling and that should almost always be eliminated.   As always, I've included several articles in the description of this episode that will be a great starting place in your journey to learn how to use dialogue tags effectively.   That's it for this week. If you liked this episode please give me a like, subscribe, whatever. Share me with your friends and on social media. If you want to know what I'm doing between shows you can find me on Instagram and Twitter (@saybeller) and you can find this podcast on Twitter (@writingthingpod) and on Instagram (@aboutthiswritingthing).   Next time I'll be talking about end tags and adverbs. Until then, take care and keep writing.   Resources: https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-use-and-not-use-dialogue-tags-d057c7f98b62   https://www.janefriedman.com/dialogue-tags/   https://litreactor.com/columns/on-dialogue-tags-why-anything-besides-said-and-asked-is-lazy-writing   Give Me A Beat: Finding a Balance that Works: https://aboutthiswritingthing.podbean.com/e/episode-24-give-me-a-beat-finding-a-balance-that-works/

Mentioned in this podcast:  The Courtney Project Show Notes are available HERE Find me on social media: Sayword B. Eller: Instagram, Twitter, TikTok (@saybeller) About This Writing Thing: Instragram, Twitter, TikTok (@aboutthiswritingthing)

Thank you so much for your support of About This Writing Thing. Season 2 will begin June 2, 2021.    Until then, you can find Sayword B. Eller on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok as @saybeller. You can find this podcast on Instagram (@aboutthiswritingthing) and Twitter (@writingthingpod).   You can also visit my website: saywordbeller.com or email me at sayword@saywordbeller.com

Show Notes & Resources:   Hello, and welcome to About This Writing Thing, a weekly podcast about living the writing life. I'm your host, Sayword B. Eller, novelist, short story writer, and podcaster.   This week I'm talking about dramatic punctuation. Specifically exclamation points and ellipses. You should know now that I am the queen of the ellipses.   First, I want to let you know I'm still taking clients for my critique and editing services. You can visit saywordbeller.com to take a look at my testimonials and send me a message to schedule, or you can head over to Fiverr.com/saybeller to sign up for one of my gigs.   Also, I'm asking you what you want to talk about in 2021. I have several topics lined up for the remainder of this year and into the first of the year, but I'd like to know what you'd like to hear about. This can't be all about me all the time, right? If you follow me or About This Writing Thing on Instagram, just send me a PM, or send me an email at sayword@saywordbeller.com.   Now, let's talk dramatics.   We've all heard Elmore Leonard's writing advice that we shouldn't use more than 2 - 3 exclamation points per 100,000 words in a novel. Since my novels are typically around 80k-90k, that means I should only use 2 in the entire book, according to Leonard. Thankfully, this isn't the case. Not even he followed this rule, according to Ben Blatt's 2017 article in The Atlantic that I will link in the description box below. But I get the sentiment and I constantly pass it on to new (and even seasoned) writers. Too many exclamation points in your narrative are distracting and overwhelming. Period.   As your trusted (I hope) writing guru (can I call myself a guru?), I scoured the internet to find a few sources on using exclamation points in fiction writing. Turns out, I didn't really need to because at this point in my career I know full-well why I shouldn't use them often. I mean, who wants their readers to feel like they're being yelled at constantly. No one is that dramatic! Am I right?   The Write Good Books Blog featured a post in August 2017 that had this to say about using too many exclamation points in fiction writing: It's a sign of weak writing - The rule of thumb is that the actions of your character(s) along with their dialogue should show the reader the height of emotion without the use of exclamation points. However, if you must use them, for crying out loud, don't say "he/she exclaimed or shouted or yelled" after the dialogue. We know they're shouting, screaming, or yelling because you've used an exclamation point. Your characters are not shouting all the time - Are they? I read a submission recently that had so many exclamation points in a half-page conversation that I was exhausted by the time the conversation had concluded. I know we get excited in conversation. I know sometimes we have very heightened passages of dialogue in reality. Personally, I think it's fine to have that one very dramatic scene, but that's the only one you get. Use it like it's your final lifeline and a million dollars is at stake. In other words, use it very carefully and only if it's absolutely necessary. It makes everything seem rushed - Remember that ending scene in Clue? If you haven't watched it, stop right now and go watch it, but make sure you watch the version with the 3 endings. You can't get the full effect otherwise. Did you watch it? Okay. So, when Wadsworth is running around like mad with the rest of the group and they're trying to piece together what happened …. That's what using too many exclamation points in like in writing. Yes, it's fun for that ten minutes on screen, but in a short story or novel it's tedious and exhausting. It takes the reader out of the story - Think about the last time you read a novel with too many exclamation points. When I was studying history I used to read a lot of texts from the 19th century. Heads up, they LOVED exclamation points. They were used for effect and to highlight things, and to really just drive the readers into a frenzy. Okay, I'm assuming that last one. We're not 19th century readers. We don't need all those exclamation points to clue us in on the importance of something or to let us know that something crazy or amazing is happening. That's what action in your narrative is for.   I tend to agree with ProWritingAid, "[It's] better for your readers and your reputation […] to use amazing word choices to entice your readers and get them excited" (ProWritingAid "Exclamation Point: Use it or not?").   Personally, I don't like to see more than 3 exclamation points per 10 chapters. Of course, I also know that people actually roll their eyes in real life, so my characters *GASP* roll their eyes, though that action is used as sparingly as exclamation points, or should be. Nobody's perfect, though, so if you go through some of my stories and see a lot of eye rolling, don't come at me.   K.M. Weiland give 3 examples of how writers shouldn't use exclamation points. For emphasis - Again, this is something that went out of style in 1900. Don't do it. For hilarity - F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "an exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke." If you have to slap your knee and cackle while looking at everyone else around the room expecting them to get it, you probably shouldn't tell the joke. Same thing with exclamation points. You can think it's the most clever thing you've ever typed or written, but you have to leave it up to the reader to get the context from the narrative and dialogue. Don't keep shoving their shoulder going, "Huh! Huh!" For excitement - I read The Lady Lieutenant, a book published in 1862 about a woman who dresses as a man and goes to war. She has grand adventures that overly romanticize war and a woman's place in it (I'm speaking in 19th century jargon here). In the text the author, Richard Hooker Wilmer, uses exclamation points often to show readers how exciting the action in a scene is. It's a quick read, and an important text for the social historian studying perceptions and portrayals of women in the 19th century, but by today's standards it sinks. As mentioned before, nowadays your narrative should do the work that the once-popular exclamation point once did. It is your responsibility as author to find (and use) exciting words in well-constructed sentences that show your readers how exciting a passage is. Never rely on punctuation to do what you should be doing.   As with everything else in writing, use exclamation points with purpose and only if they're absolutely necessary.   Other forms of dramatic punctuation are ellipses and italics. I am guilty of both. As I self-edited my first novel I realized I was the queen of the ellipses. I had at least six instances of them on each page. EACH PAGE. I used mine for conversations that fall away, or for characters whose minds wander in thought.   The ellipses historical use is to convey that something is missing. These missing elements could be words, thoughts, or even feelings. C. S. Lakin stated two uses for them, "to indicate trailing, faltering, or interrupted speech (which is the most common use for fiction writers) [and] to indicate that text is missing or omitted from a quotation" (Lakin Live, Write, Thrive).   I still use ellipses, but after identifying that they're a real problem for me, I became hyper-vigilant of them and now use them sparingly. However, as is apt to happen to us beautiful and complicated people, I have now taken to relying too much on another dramatic writing tool, the italics. In my writing I italicize words for emphasis, as well as internal thoughts, past conversations, and dreams. These latter three aren't much of a problem because I don't use them as often as I do italics for emphasis.   According to some writers, this is a sign of lazy or weak writing. I don't like to say that someone is a lazy writer, but the truth of the matter is that sometimes we are lazy. I don't feel like I'm being lazy when I use these tools, but when I go back through to edit my second and third drafts (I almost always have at least 4), I tend to weed out some of the emphasized text by strengthening the narrative around it.   The truth of the matter is that everything discussed today has its place in writing. Sometimes we are dramatic, sometimes our characters are dramatic. That isn't the problem. If nothing else, those instances of dramatics makes the prose more realistic. Hubby and I just finished watching Evil on Netflix and the main character, Kristen, has 4 daughters. In every scene these girls are in it's a whirlwind of movement and talking. Each girl wants to be heard over the other. It becomes overwhelming, but it's so realistic. I only had 3 kids and sometimes I had to step away because it was too much. So, no one is saying never use them, but when you do use exclamation points, ellipses, or italics, do it with a purpose and make sure that you don't do it so much that your readers want to throw the book across the room.   That's it for this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please give me a thumbs up or a like, and subscribe. I would be ever so grateful if you would share About This Writing Thing with your writing friends. Who knows, maybe they'll be my friends too. We can never have too many writing pals. If you want to know what I'm doing between shows, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter (@saybeller), you can also find this podcast on Instagram (AboutThisWritingThing) and on Twitter (@WritingThingPod).   If you're interested in critique or editing services, you can find me on Fiverr (https://fiverr.com/saybeller) or you can go to my website to read my testimonials and schedule a consult.   My email newsletter goes out on the first of every month. If you haven't signed up yet and you'd like to, visit my website and click on the subscribe box at the top of the screen.   Thanks for hanging out with me. Take care and happy writing!     Resources:   The Editor's Blog: https://theeditorsblog.net/2018/01/12/slapped-silly-by-exclamation-points/   Weiland, K.M. Helping Writers Become Authors Blog, August 2, 2015. https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/exclamation-points/#:~:text=Exclamation%20Points%20for%20Emphasis&text=In%20fiction%2C%20this%20kind%20of,their%20immersion%20in%20your%20narrative.   Blatt, Ben. "How Many Exclamation Points do Great Writers Use?" The Atlantic, March 2017. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/curb-your-enthusiasm/513833/   ProWritingAid. "The Exclamation Point: Use it or Not?" The Writing Cooperative. September 9, 2018. https://writingcooperative.com/exclamation-point-use-it-or-not-34f7bccf4032   Bougger, Jason. "Why Are You Shouting At Me!!!" Write Good Books Blog, August 29, 2017. https://www.writegoodbooks.com/why-are-you-shouting-at-me/   Fawkes, September C. https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2019/05/how-to-use-ellipsis-properly-in-fiction.html   Lakin, C. S. "Don't Abuse the Dot-Dot-Dots" Live, Write Thrive. August 22, 2014. https://www.livewritethrive.com/2014/08/22/dont-abuse-the-dot-dot-dots/

Mentioned in this episode: https://www.novel-software.com/blog?article=how-to-do-fiction-critique-(feedback)-in-a-writer%E2%80%99s-circle   http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson209/definition_style.pdf   saywordbeller.com   About This Writing Thing on Twitter & Instagram Sayword B. Eller on Instagram & Twitter

Mentioned in this episode: Episode 13: About This Writing Thing - https://aboutthiswritingthing.podbean.com/e/episode-13-corrections-editing-updates-and-critique-tips/   Show notes can be found HERE.   You can follow me on Instagram & Twitter, and you can follow this podcast on Twitter & Instagram.   To learn more about my critique services, read testimonials, and check out my rates, visit saywordbeller.com!   Thanks for listening! Have a great week!

Show notes HERE!  Follow Sayword B. Eller on Instagram or Twitter! Follow About This Writing Thing on Instagram or Twitter!

Find show notes HERE! If you're interested in a professional critique visit my website to read about the services I offer HERE! You can find Sayword B. Eller on Twitter & Instagram and you can find About This Writing Thing on Twitter & Instagram.

Let's talk about one of my weaknesses, pacing. I know what my problem is, the stakes aren't high enough, but I just haven't found my stride in fixing those issues yet. Thought this might be the perfect place to talk about it! Show notes can be found HERE. Find me on social media: @saybeller - Instagram & Twitter @WritingThingPod (Twitter) & @AboutThisWritingThing (Instagram) Thank you so much for listening! Have a great week! 

Show notes available HERE! Sign up for my email list HERE! Follow me on Instagram & Twitter! Follow About This Writing Thing on Instagram & Twitter!   Thanks for listening!

Today we're talking dialogue/end tags vs. story beats. I'd love to know which you prefer, or if you have found that delicate balance for both! Thanks for listening!  A supplemental blog post to this episode can be found HERE. Follow me on social media! @saybeller - Instagram & Twitter AboutThisWritingThing - Instagram @WritingThingPod - Twitter

Hello, Hello! It's been a little bit since I've posted an episode and I'm finally showing up to tell you why. New episodes will resume soon. Thank you for your support! -S Website: saywordbeller.com Twitter: Sayword B. Eller or About This Writing Thing Instagram: Sayword B. Eller or About This Writing Thing

I did it! I finally got agent feedback and it was GREAT! But now she's asked me to revise a few things and I'm scared to death I'm going to mess it up!  saywordbeller.com Sayword B. Eller: Instagram & Twitter About This Writing Thing: Instagram & Twitter

Mentioned in this episode: The Hot Sheet SaywordBEller.com About This Writing Thing: Twitter & Instagram Sayword B. Eller: Twitter & Instagram

No show notes this week, folks. I'm suffering from what a number of writers are at this time, a lack of motivation to write anything, which is too bad considering that this is an ideal time for writers to write for posterity.  If you'd like to know what I'm up to on social media, you can check me out on Twitter: Sayword B. Eller & WritingThingPod and Instagram: Sayword B. Eller, About This Writing Thing, & Kimber Trace. You can also find me on Wattpad & at my website: saywordbeller.com. Thanks for listening!

Find me on social media: Twitter & Instagram Or visit my website: saywordbeller.com   Show notes available HERE.   RESOURCES:   Kircher, Madison M, 2020, What's Going on With My Dark Vanessa and Excavation?, Vulture, February 3, 2020: https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/my-dark-vanessa-and-excavation-book-controversy-explained.html   Ortiz, Wendy, January 9, 2020, https://twitter.com/WendyCOrtiz/status/1218999472224493569   Ortiz, Wendy, 2020, Adventures in Publishing Outside the Gates: On the Industry's Gatekeeping, Gay Mag, January 29, 2020: https://gay.medium.com/adventures-in-publishing-outside-the-gates-a06f089c372e   Ortiz, Wendy. Excavation: A Memoir. Future Tense Books: Portland, OR, 2014.   Oswald, Anjelica, 2016, The multimillion-dollar sums that celebrities make on books — and how they actually sell, Business Insider, March 9, 2016:   RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network): https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence   Russell, Kate Elizabeth. My Dark Vanessa. William Morrow: New York, 2020.   Russell, Kate E., 2020, Note to Readers, http://kateelizabethrussell.com/note-to-readers.

We're living in strange times, folks. I never thought I would have to worry about a toilet paper shortage in my lifetime, yet here I am...worrying.  This is my first episode back in a while and I'm talking about current world events (i.e. COVID-19), social distancing, and my first FULL REQUEST! I love saying that!  I'm also excited to give you a bonus episode this week! Episode 20 (available 3/27/20) is my review of Wendy Ortiz's EXCAVATION and Kate Elizabeth Russell's MY DARK VANESSA.  If you want to see what I'm up to between episodes, you can find me on Twitter and Instagram (@saybeller) and you can find this podcast on Twitter (@writingthingpod).  You can also visit my website: saywordbeller.com Until next time!

Have you ever been close to the finish line with a project only to find yourself paralyzed by a sudden onset of impostor syndrome? This was me two weeks ago and I'm talking about it in today's episode.  Show Notes: Hello, and welcome to About This Writing Thing, a weekly podcast about living the writing life. I'm your host, Sayword B. Eller, novelist, short story writer, podcaster, and imposter. Prior to recording this, when I first began writing these show notes I'd nearly added the additional 14,000 words needed to my WIP. I had less than 2500 to go and only 15 chapters left to edit before sending to my editor. I should have been feeling great, but I wasn't.  On the second of February 2020, I entered the shower in a fine mood, but exited almost in tears. Yes, it happened that fast. As I lathered my hair, I thought of Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel, I thought of the RWA scandal and the American Dirt criticism, and how I may be criticized by the masses for the diverse characters included in my narrative (of which there are 2 in a cast of less than 10), and I thought of just how many of us are going for traditional publication and how many make it, and then I thought of how many get the first book deal and don't get another…you get the point. By the time I stepped out of the shower my anxiety was through the roof and I was left thinking, what's the point? I tried to talk to my husband about it, tried to get him to understand exactly what it was I was feeling, but I couldn't articulate it because I wasn't even fully aware of what I was feeling. Yes, I was overwhelmed by the emotions of what if I'm not good enough to ever be published. My social media presence is small, my query writing skills are abysmal, and I don't even want to talk about my ability to write a synopsis. As with everything else, I am an undesirable because I'm not good enough.  And there is was. Despite having gained so much knowledge about my craft, regardless of how many people tell me I am a strong writer, I don't think I'm good enough, and all these outside things are confirming what I think I already know. I'm not good enough. Turns out, I was suffering from full onset Imposter Syndrome. In her 2008 article, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Gill Corkindale defines impostor syndrome as, "a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success" (Corkindale). At this point I'm less than three thousand words from finishing my third novel. Three. I've seen a story published in a literary magazine and I have several writers who look up to me as a type of authority on writing. I'm successful at my craft in my own right. Yet, I felt as though the completion of this novel meant nothing because it's just another novel that will sit unpublished despite the fact that (IMHO) it's really good. It’s relevant, it challenges the reader to like someone they probably wouldn't like out of mere misunderstanding and first impressions in real life. This book, if given the chance, could really be something. Despite knowing all this I wallowed for two days. On the second day I made myself really think about what was going on. Yes, on the first day my insides were upside down and churning without me thinking beyond how absolutely desolate I was feeling, but the next day I sat in the sun and made myself think about all those things that were holding up my progress. Yes, there are eyes looking with increased scrutiny at every published word. That isn't a bad thing. Is it scary that I might end up on the dark side of that attention one day? Hell yes, but I know this special attention, even if it does seem unfair and unwarranted to some, is mostly being done with the best intentions. Yes, according to Donald Maass's book I'm probably not going to see the success that I once imagined in this new world of best seller or super best seller. If I'm like the average population, and I usually am, I can expect to see moderate success. I need to be okay with that even though I'll still be reaching for the top. Yes, my social media presence is sub par. Less than 2,000 followers on Twitter and less than 500 on Instagram. It isn't ideal to some agents and publishers, but the great writers who came before me didn't even have social media. Donald Maass's book may be telling me super success isn't likely, but it's also telling me how important word of mouth is and that's something that was around well before social media. It may make things a bit slower, and I may still be rejected based on my lack of numbers, but it doesn't mean I don't have a chance. Yes, there are a lot of writers in the world going after what I am, but there are also 7 billion people in the world and 86% of them can read. In short, there are enough readers to go around. Especially considering not all readers only read one author. Finally, yes, there are plenty of authors who get one book deal and don't get another from their publisher. I know a couple. It's not the end of the world. And, to be honest, that's a bridge to cross if or when I get to it. On the third day I got back to work, adding another 4k to the manuscript to bring its total to a little over 83k. In case you're trying to do the math, before my breakdown I had a very productive week. I added 11,000 words in 3 days. This book was ready to be finished and I was ready to finish it. Now, two weeks later, Catching Fireflies has been to the editor. Notes are good. In fact, they're far better than expected. I'm working on the query letter, the first draft of which has been sent to my mentor. I'm feeling good again. I know the imposter syndrome will creep up on me again at some point, but I hope by then I've signed with an agent. I might be able to talk myself down a bit easier. That's it for this week. Please excuse my lack of episodes this year. Next week I'll be revisiting those goals I talked about in January and, hopefully, updating you on the status of the dreaded query. If you liked this episode, please give me a like or subscribe, or both. I won't be upset If you share me with your friends. The more the merrier. For those local, I'm hosting a workshop in May with a couple of writer pals. We'll be talking about making time for your writing, how to write engaging short fiction, and turning your memories into essays. The Find the Writer in You workshop will run from 9:30 to 12:30 on May 2, 2020 at the Asheboro Public Library in Asheboro, North Carolina. It is free and open to the public. I encourage you to join us if you're nearby. As usual, if you'd like to see what I have going on you can check out saywordbeller.com or you can find me on Instagram and Twitter using the handle @saybeller. There is a Twitter account for this podcast @writingthingpod. Thanks for listening. Have a great week and happy writing!

2020 is all about submissions! Well, and writing and podcasting and workshops, but you get my point! Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @saybeller Follow this podcast on Twitter: @writintthingpod   Music: Blue Dot Sessions, Cupcake Marshall on Love & Weasel (2019).

Sad news for this girl, I'm not ready to query after all. Sigh.  Episode Notes: Hello and welcome to About This Writing Thing, a weekly podcast about living the writing life. I'm your host Sayword B. Eller, writer for women, podcaster, and MFA student.   I'm not one to talk much about my goals. In fact, I rarely set any for myself because I so often fail at reaching them. Same thing for resolutions. Why set something when you'll completely disregard it afterward. I'm not sure why I do this, but I do, so…that's me. This year I've decided to go against myself and set a few achievable goals. Maybe the problem with the goals I've set in the past is that I don't believe I can reach them and, thus, I sabotage myself bringing that self-fulfilling prophecy to fruition. Don't worry, I'm not getting into all that in this episode. I just happen to have realizations while recording and that's one of them. Thanks for helping me figure myself out!   First, I want to give you some updates. You know last week when I was so excited because I was finally finished with my book? Well, turns out I'm not. I'm one of those people that always says, when the story's told, it's told, no need to add words just to fit the market expectations. Unfortunately, agents and publishers don't share that thought- or so I've heard. This leaves me with two choices: 1) Submit it as is at 67k words (14k short of industry standard) and be rejected every single time, thus shattering myself over and over again because there is little hope an agent will pick up a women's fiction book that is so far below the standard of 80k, OR add the words. After much deliberation (and lamentation) I've decided to add the words. This is frustrating for a few reasons; my query timeline is thrown off, I have to put off really beginning my next project, my research trip may be postponed (because why research a topic if I'm not writing about it, right). I'm not dwelling on it. Like any writer worth their salt, I'm focusing on the task at hand. I'm adding the words. The only way I'm going to get this book finished is one word at a time. Eventually they'll add up to 80,000, right?   So that's my sort of sad news. I'm sad (and frustrated) that I'm not finished and can't move forward with querying, but anything that makes the story stronger will be worth it, right? Right? I really hope so. I don't want to be working on this book in March.   Enough about that. Let's talk goals. I don't set goals or resolutions, as I mentioned before I don't set goals for myself often, mainly because the moment a goal is set my brain says, "Nah." This year, though, I've decided to set a few goals that my brain may be happy with.    1) Read more. I don't read as much as I should. We all know the golden rule, right. If you want to be a good writer you need to read a lot and write a lot. I don't do too much of either, so in 2020 my goal is to read more. I'm also planning to expand my horizons. Right now I'm reading Alyssa Cole's Loyal League romance trilogy. Yes, I'm loving it. I'm planning to do a vlog on them when I've finished them all. In 2020 I'm going to try to read a bit more outside my genre. I'll also try to incorporate more male authors. I tend to read books by women. Shocker, right? 2) Write more. I don't write every single day. This is one of the main reasons it takes me a year and a half to write a novel. Some days are very productive. Other days not so much. I'll be working to improve that this year. 3) Less television. I love tv. Movies and shows are my favorite things. I watched a lot of television when I was growing up and I can't fathom breaking up with it altogether. That being said, I've already stopped watching as much as I used to, but that's because of this next goal. 4) Less gaming. Hubby and I are currently addicted to State of Decay 2. So, I've stopped watching as much television because I'm playing more xbox. In order to be more productive I'm going to work on cutting this time way back. Full disclosure, I played the game for an hour before recording this episode. This will definitely take some effort. 5) More industry knowledge. The more I know about the publishing industry, the more I can talk about it with you. It's that simple.  6) More movement. I've never been interested in exercise. I think one summer in 1994 I flirted with being a runner, but that was when my little teenage heart thought I would be a model. My life is sedentary. In 2020 I'm going to make a concerted effort to be more active.  7) More writing & reading vlogs on my YouTube channel. I haven't posted a video in months, but I love the #authortube community, so I'm going to try to get back to it this year. Fingers crossed.    That's it. Simple, right? We'll see.    If you enjoyed this episode please give me a "like" and make sure to subscribe. Thank you so much for being here every week. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @saybeller. You can also follow this podcast on Twitter @writingthingpod.    Have a great week. Keep writing!

Do you have a fear of finishing? Turns out I do, and it's a big ball of complicated feelings that are causing issues with my new project. Sigh.  Mentioned in this episode:  JaneFriedman.com The Hot Sheet   Thank you so much for following my writing journey! If you like this show let me know! Leave a comment or give me a "like" and subscribe! Or both!  Find me on social media: Twitter & Instagram You can also see what I'm up to on my website: SaywordBEller.com

We all want the people we love to read our work. That validation is something we crave, but what if we stopped putting that pressure on ourselves and the people we love? I'm talking about my own experiences with this struggle and how letting go of the expectation has affected my process. No transcript this week. Sorry, y'all.  SPECIAL NOTE: In this episode I share the time I asked someone I admire to read my work and they didn't. In no way did I intend to come across as angry that they didn't read my story during the hardship they were experiencing. They truly were very sick during that summer and I completely understand not reading my story during a time when they were trying to recover from such an illness.  ANNOUNCEMENT: About This Writing Thing will be on hiatus until January 8, 2020. I say January 7 twice at the end of this episode, but that is incorrect. Episode 15 will drop on January 8, 2020 at 8:00 AM ET.  Want to keep up with what I'm doing until then? Find me on Twitter and Instagram. You can also find this podcast tweeting HERE. You can find this podcast on iTunes and iHeartRadio as well. If you like what you hear please like and subscribe. If you're feeling generous you can even share me with your friends.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and, more than anything, I hope you keep writing!

TO read the blog post about this episode go HERE. Mentioned in this episode: Swoonworthy Virtual Bookclub. Find the podcast HERE. Check out Krista Harper on Instagram. My 10 critique guidelines are included in this episode. We all have them. Well, those of us who are actively working with other writers. I'd love to hear yours! Comment below or reach out to me on Twitter: @writingthingpod or @saybeller. You can also find me on Instagram (saybeller). Want to know more about what I'm up to? Check out saywordbeller.com!

We all have guidelines when researching history. Since I'm eyeball deep in historical data for my WIP, I decided to share with you my top 8 conducting effective research.  If you like this episode please be sure to "like" this episode and subscribe! If you'd like to share I won't be upset!  Want to know more about me? saywordbeller.com Want to see what I get up to on social media? You can find me on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @saybeller. This podcast also has a Twitter account that you can follow HERE! Thank you so much for your support!