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...

Motivation is a tricky game. It comes and goes at the best of times. Most newbie writers aren’t sure how to deal with loss of motivation....

Writing a book is the catalyst for a lot of self-doubt. You might feel it as you write the first draft, you might question if your idea...

Writing is a long, hard slog. The idea is fun and inspiration feels like a jolt in your battery. But writing and publishing, it’s not so...

Self-publishing a novel is one of the most stressful things I’ve ever had to do - and I’ve moved countries. Self-publishing a novel is a...

In this post I’m sharing some secrets only writers know. If you’ve published a book, or multiple, I want to know which point you relate...

Starting a novel is a scary thing. You’re excited about the idea but unsure it’ll hold up or if you’ve got it in you to write the damn...

A three story white brick home sat in the middle of an immaculate street by the name of Arney Road. Arney Road sat away from the main...

There are so many things within this book that I hope readers take away. I’ve added a lot of subtleties in this book and within the...

Writing processes are such difficult things to capture. If someone were to ask me “What’s your writing process?”, I’d shrug and say, “I...

Creating an Antagonist is highly dependent on the type of person you are creating and what genre you are writing. When I create an...

Editing a novel is one of those things you don’t really think about. You think about writing a novel and the ideas flowing onto the...