I love brainstorming books. I love the endless possibilities at the outset, all the combinations of what ifs, and the "Oh, have you ever thought about trying this?" suggestions. Brainstorming is definitely one of my favorite stages of the writing process. That, and discovering who the characters are as I write and rewrite, digging deeper with each pass. Part of our brainstorming … [Read more...]
Brainstorming and Changes
Right now I'm in the season of writing where I'm wrapping up one project and preparing ideas for new books. It means, a dizzying array of what ifs are playing through my mind. On Saturday morning I found twelve ideas just flipping through the headlines of the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal. Now I need to massage them, combine them, and see what comes out to play. [Tweet "Join … [Read more...]
The New Release YOU Helped Create
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you might remember a post from about a year and a half ago where I invited our readers to help me brainstorm ideas for my next novella. (You can see that post here.) Well, that baby you helped create has just entered the world! Worth the Wait is the second story in the Ladies of Harper's Station series, and I truly believe it wouldn't exist today … [Read more...]
I’m a writer? Then why am I stuck?
I love writing, but I don't like getting started. It is complete drudgery to create a multi-layered proposal. When I finally reach the right depth, it sits on my computer desktop for weeks or months while publishing houses consider whether my writing is a good fit for them. [Tweet "Wonder what to do when you're stuck? @Cara_Putman pulls back the curtain & asks for help. … [Read more...]
Help Me Plot My Next Novella
Last week I turned in my latest manuscript. Whew! Meeting a deadline is always stressful but feels so good after it's accomplished. This one was no different. Unfortunately, I can't take much time off to celebrate because I need to get started on a follow-up novella. You see, this book is the beginning of a new series that will encompass two novels alternating with two novellas. And since I … [Read more...]