It’s that time of year again when writers around the world prepare for NaNoWriMo – otherwise known as “National Novel Writing Month.” Taking place in November, NaNoWriMo challenges writers of all experiences to write an entire novel (or novella) in one month’s time, averaging about 1,667 words per day.
Read MoreFor many authors seeing their work go from fiction to film sounds nothing short of a dream. This appeal is not unfounded – how awesome would it be for more people to come in contact with your story? To see your story brought to life? To hear those biting conversations you wrote and painful exclamations become fully realized?
Read MoreOften one of the most difficult parts of writing a novel is starting. The blank page is known to have intimidated even some of the greatest authors, so it should come as no surprise that no matter how many novels you’ve written – whether it’s your first or your 30th – the beginning is often the most difficult.
Read MoreMany novelists dream of seeing their books adapted into films – or maybe they don’t and only accept this proposition later on when the paycheck appears. Maybe it’s so their stories may reach a wider audience, or maybe it’s because a film suggests some sort of higher level of success and validation.
Read MoreThe idea of writing a screenplay can seem incredibly scary to a prose writer. Maybe it's the format or the formula that keeps you away, or maybe it's the fact that you're worried you'll lose your style or ability to explore inner monologues the same way on screen as you do in your novel.
Read MoreWith this year's Moonlight win at the Oscars, a lot of big things happened. The primary thing most people are talking about is how monumental Moonlight's win is for people of color. It's rare to see a movie about a black gay man get much recognition and for it to win best picture is a huge achievement. However, in addition to the social progress, Moonlight's win speaks to the underdog of the film industry – the independent film.
Read MoreAs writers our principle form of activism is our voice. To be more specific, the voice of our pen. However, another form of activism - though far more subtle and long-term in its effects - is in the books we choose to read. With every book you buy, you share, and you tell people about, you are saying that more of those books should be read, and marketers and companies will start to follow that over time.
Read MoreEver since I was little, I have been taken by the idea of writing a novel. As a child, I wrote several novel beginnings, never finishing an entire draft until I was twenty years old. A contrarian in every way possible, while other people wrote short stories and did mini writing exercises, I vehemently protested the "system" by always pursuing novel ideas.
Read MoreThe term "literary fiction," is a bit of a loaded one. Defined as any fictional work that holds "literary merit," the phrase is undeniably subjective. After all, what does it mean for something to hold literary merit? Who decides such things? Why are some works better than others and how are some books universally regarded as so? Where do we draw the line and define something as literary versus not?
Read MoreIf you sit in a creative writing class today or read a book on the craft, you'll likely hear at some point about the hackneyed "show don't tell" rule, and maybe for a long time you've followed said rule. To clarify, it is not really a "rule" in the way we understand it, but instead exists as an unspoken standard all creatives are supposed to strive for in prose for it to be considered "good," so that "bad" prose is telling and "good" is showing. Which is not true.
Read MoreBack when I was quite the lazy storyteller who believed my one short story would pave the way to my greatness, I stumbled upon tumblr where people write short, easy little paragraphs that sound pretty and made me feel deep and interesting. I felt very comfortable in this area because I could slay away on one sentence until it was perfect and then people would comment on my talents and I would try to appear very modest like it just came to me naturally.
Read MoreCreative Writing Coach and Storyteller | Serving creative writers who want to write novels, movies, plays, and video games – and helping them learn how to write all four.
Hey there—I’m E.M. Welsh and I’m a writer and storyteller based in Texas. In my spare time, you can find me reading books, watching TV and movies, and playing video games. I also cook a lot of food and dabble in a plethora of other hobbies.
I’m currently working on my first book, which I hope to have published in 2024.
This blog is basically a diary of what I’m up to, random musings, and progress updates on my book.
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