When I paint, I begin with a ground—a foundational layer brushed across the canvas to prepare the surface. Sometimes it’s a neutral tone, sometimes a subtle color. You don’t see it in the final image, not exactly. But it’s there, affecting everything laid on top. A cool blue ground makes the warm tones above itContinueContinue reading “The Hidden Ground: Layers of Meaning in Storytelling”
Category Archives: writing
How to Edit Like a Pro: Tips & Tricks
Editing, is actually one of my favorite parts of writing. It’s where your rough draft is polished into something professional, compelling, and clear. But what is the best way to optimize your editing time? I’ve come to an approach through trial and error, and I hope these tips and tricks will help you refine yourContinueContinue reading “How to Edit Like a Pro: Tips & Tricks”
Open House: On Strangers, Judgment, and the Writer’s Unease
Today, strangers are walking through my house. They are peering into closets, glancing at the scuff marks on the stairs, maybe silently judging my taste in rugs or the fact that I’ve never fixed that one crooked cabinet door. I’m not there to see it—I’ve been banished to a local café by my realtor, likeContinueContinue reading “Open House: On Strangers, Judgment, and the Writer’s Unease”
Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)
One of the biggest dangers for a writer isn’t failure—it’s silence. Life has a way of crowding out creativity. Maybe it’s a high-pressure job, a move, a tough parenting stretch, or the illusion that you’ll “get back to it when things calm down.” But here’s the truth: if you stop writing, the skills begin toContinueContinue reading “Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)”
How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues
A couple of people have asked me to write up some advice on this, so I thought ‘Why not!’…. When we think about writing for the speculative fiction community, we often think of short stories, novels, and poetry — the imaginative worlds that readers escape into. But non-fiction is just as vital to the field,ContinueContinue reading “How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues”
How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author
Some famous author, and of course, I cannot remember who, and Google has failed me, once said they were tired of people asking him/her what the theme of their novel was as “Themes are for critics and academics to figure out, not for authors.” Given I can’t remember who said it, I’ll go with whatContinueContinue reading “How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author”
The Top Practical and Inspirational Writing Craft Books that I Read in 2024
I tend to read a lot of craft books. Last year I made a list of 20 craft books I had read giving just a one-line impression of each. It’s here if you want to give that one a look. The best thing about doing that was I got a ton of messages from peopleContinueContinue reading “The Top Practical and Inspirational Writing Craft Books that I Read in 2024”
Year In Review 2024
For the last two years in December, I have written a ‘Year in Review’ post, and here is this year’s. The main purpose of the original post was to convince myself that although I had not published my first novel, nor even got an agent, I had achieved something in the sphere of writing. ThisContinueContinue reading “Year In Review 2024”
Aspirational Bios
I often write about meeting writing goals: setting SMART goals, psychological tricks to make writing habits stick, and circumnavigating writer’s block. But one thing essential in reaching your goals is knowing clearly what they are. Do you know clearly what you should be working on right now? One trick from the life-skills and coaching literatureContinueContinue reading “Aspirational Bios”
Why have Beta-Readers if you’re Going to Ignore them?
The usual question is when do you listen to beta-readers and when do you not. The reasoning put forward for the latter action is usually that, beta-readers are human and sometimes they are wrong. And the advice on how to know? See if more than one beta-reader said the same thing. That may be reasonableContinueContinue reading “Why have Beta-Readers if you’re Going to Ignore them?”
Gideon P. Smith 