We writers lead the solitary life, slaving over character motivation and semi-colons in our dark monastic cells. But once a year we emerge, stretch the kinks out of our writing hands, straighten the writer’s hunch-back, and convene at AWP (the Association of Writers...
I recently wrote on a manuscript, “Is all this realism necessary? I feel like it’s too much information, too many details. What about writing it as impressionism or expressionism?” Scott loves Impressionism. He’s always talking about light. You know, Rembrandt...
I have two historical novels under my belt. Saving Annabelle is ready to go out into the world, and I am querying agents now. God’s Mirror is being expanded and revised. I also have the outline and some sketches for the next novel, which happens to be historical as...
I had a wonderful time at my writers group today. I have a wonderful time whenever we meet. There are three of us at present: Wendy, Susan, and me. We’re all Hamliners. We’re all fiction writers. We’re all dead serious about writing. We call our little troupe Pants on...
Saving Annabelle has now been put through four drafts. Most of the chapters have been through way more than four drafts, but the book as a whole has been through four drafts. Yesterday I turned in that fourth draft manuscript to my thesis advisor, and let me tell you,...
I'm Alida I help people express their gifts to the world.
I do not believe in formulas. I believe that the stories we are compelled to tell the world make demands on us, and it is our privilege to meet those demands in order to reach the most people in the most authentic and compelling way possible.
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