We all need a bit of help Photo from Wix. 1) A woman walks into a bar, sees her friends at a table, all laughing. Why was she not invited? 2) A man wakes up in a grave. 3) Children laughing, seasaws seasawing, but no children in sight. 4) A thruple starts having trouble. 5) A dragon flies into a city and starts destroying it. 6) An apartment gets broken into. But there's no sign of a break in. 7) A deadly disease spreads across the planet, but only a certain group of people a

A woman with writer's block. Photo from Wix. Writer's Block is a controversial topic. Some are debilitated by it, others say it doesn't exist. I sit in the middle. I think it does exist and you can absolutely work through it. First, we must understand it. Just like with any activity, if you do it for too long you'll get fatigued. If you run, you go for a certain amount of time and then you catch your breath. Runners Block. You may not want to run the next day. Extended Runner

Image from Wix Editing is what writing is.  We all know the saying “Writing is Re-writing.” Anyone who writes for an audience knows most of the work happens after the first draft. And if you’re an editor, you know that all too well.  There are a lot of questions around editing. How to do it? What should the writer focus on? How many times do they need to rewrite their work until it’s perfection? I’m now on my 2nd draft of my 2nd novel — the sequel to my recent release, What’s

A classic new year story This year has been a heck of a year. I’m sure you’re sick of hearing about it from me. But let’s go over them again. Starting with 2025; the bad, then the good, then the goals. The difficulties of this year: I became ill for months. I discovered mold in my flat and found moisture had no way of escaping from the bathroom. The fan took the moisture into the roof and left it there. I argued with the property manager who blamed us, the tenants, for the mo

In a sort of right way… The world is a messy place with messy experiences and I am just one of many who constantly feels their head spin. Pushing yourself beyond your limits and entering situations that scare you, tease you, and make you chuckle. The world is full of love and joy and darkness. It can all be experienced simultaneously. How can one experience anxiety and happiness at the exact same time? Being up and down is a normal, human experience. Even if you feel all of t

If you are wondering, yes, I am like Taylor Swift, and I am hinting that I will write 33 books in my lifetime. Markets are wonderful places! If you have written a book and want to get the word out there — head to a local market. You’ll meet so many interesting people! Some will buy your book. Some will join your mailing list. Some will search up your website.  And some will wish you luck.  This market was quite different to the last one. This time round, I had a lot of people

A printing press. Image from Wix. I recently published my contemporary women’s fiction novel, What’s Left. I went through self-publishing, which has been a crazy and very rewarding experience. Previously, I sold two travel guides to an Indie Publisher. And I’ve been rejected multiple times by Traditional Publishers, so I feel I have some ground to talk about my experience. First, everyone’s favourite to discuss: Traditional Publishing. I’m from New Zealand and because this co

What's Left by Livvy Skelton-Price Imposter syndrome can be a common occurrence within the writing community. We spend a lot of time dreaming about being Authors, yet when we become one, we don't believe it. I had a recent experience when I was referred to as an Author. Not only that, I was introduced as an Author. For the first time in my writing career, I completely froze. I had an overwhelming urge to correct them, tell them it's only me. Not an Author, just me. I wanted t

Writer's Block is one of those things we’ve all come across. The words don’t flow, and nothing feels like it fits. The characters are 2D, the plot falls flat, and the twists don’t twist.  It’s a bad hair day, but for your writing.  And that’s all it is.  A bad hair day.  And what do we do with bad hair days? Do we light our hair on fire? No. Do we shave it off? No. Do we declare we don’t deserve hair? No. We get some gel, do what we can and hope for a better day tomorrow.  Th

Creating a character out of thin air is a hard task for anyone.  So I’ll walk you through how I like to create a character. I usually start with a character which is rather stereo-typical - it’s always easier to work with a template. I note down what traits they have and what stand-out characteristics. Then, I flip them on their head and make them the opposite. In the 80’s, teen films loved these five character types: The Princess. The Jock. The Nerd. The Rebel. The Goth. Let

Starting your story can be a daunting process. It’s just you and the page. Nothing else. Nobody else. Who’s responsible for creating the next best-seller? You are. Who’s helping you? No one. It can certainly feel like a lot of pressure as the weight of the book industry rests on your shoulders. The best way to create a beginning that soars through the ranks and lands in the hands of your potential readers is to: Start In The Middle.   The middle of what, though? Honestly, the

In celebration of the release of my first fiction novel, I have decided to share something that is often swept under the rug: My First Draft. First drafts are not for others to look at. They should be hidden in a vault that you forget about and no one sees.  But, I like to do things a little differently.  All I seem to be reading on Reddit are posts about people worried about whether or not their first draft is good enough. They want to know how to make it good before they’ve

Being a writer makes people think of those wandering along the beach, barefoot, twirling a pen in their hand. They are in tune with their surroundings, always calm and they’re days are filled with whatever the heart desires. They’ll spend some time in their little cave where they tap away - as inspiration strikes. They’re writing room is filled with the latest trendy plants and knick-knacks. All bought with the money they made writing.  Lies.  Here are some realities I’ve com

Writing is a fun way to spend your time. You get to have your imagination run wild and see where your thoughts take you. This is your world and no one else’s - unless you let them into it.  Writing to publish is a whole different ball game. But I didn’t know that when I first started. Here are 10 things I wish I knew before writing a novel with the intent of publishing. You are writing to other people’s opinions You can write for yourself, sure. But are you going to buy your

Michelle is a complex character. She grew up as a fun loving, larger than life gal who wouldn’t let anything get in her way. But once...

Faith started out as two characters: An overly positive supportive friend. And a serious go-getter who likes to follow rules and solve...

Barbara is a beloved character in my novel. I was actually quite surprised by how many readers took a liking to Barbara.  My expectation...

Jordi grew up on the Island of Wine aka Waiheke Island. A place known for vineyards, wineries, hen parties, weddings, and summer...

The first draft is always the worst. And it’s the hardest draft to write.  The evolution of a novel is the same as the evolution of any...

Isn’t this cover the most stunning thing you’ve ever seen? Don’t you want to own this book just so you can display this cover on your...