“If you wish to be a writer, write.” That quote from Greek philosopher Epictetus is perhaps among the most famous pieces of advice a fledgling writer may be given. I'm sure I've heard it at least a hundred times over! As writers, the need to be writing is right there in the name. And if we want to deepen our understanding of the craft and improve our stories, we must be writing consistently—even if we aren't writing every single day. The thing is, writing a novel, a script, a

Around this time last year, I wrote a post about Second-Chance Romances , exploring the reasons behind my love/hate relationship with the trope. Back then, I described myself as being mostly "lukewarm" towards it. Much to my surprise, my project for NaNoWriMo 2023 , A Tided Love , just so happened to be a Second-Chance romance. I didn't set out to write a Second-Chance Romance when I decided to take on NaNoWriMo (but, then again, I didn't set out to take on NaNoWriMo, so the

Romance is a genre full of tropes. From the big ones like friends-to-lovers and office romances to smaller ones like "Sunshine x Grump" pairings, running through the airport scenes, masquerade balls, or the infamous "There's Only One Bed," there is certain to be a trope for every reader out there. Among the most popular is Enemies to Lovers. Commonly cited examples include Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice , Anthony and Kate from the Bridgerton series, Heathcl

If prompted to think of a stereotypical romance novel, some might picture a bodice ripper. Barechested men and scantily-clad ladies entangled in the midst of an embrace on the cover. We've all seen them and, if you're like me, you may have even been chided by peers and acquaintances because of your love for reading (or even writing) them. Despite this common association, only a portion of romance novels are as risque as the image described above. While some authors include st

If there's one thing readers love, it's when a story is so immersive they're pulled right into it. When a book just flows so seamlessly and the hours slip away, and it's not until you've finished the last chapter that you realize it's somehow already half-past midnight. That's only one of the reasons your writing needs to be smooth. A disruption of that pace can be jarring for readers and throw them out of the story. Rather than reading on, they must first reorient themselve

Even if you've been living under a rock for the past few months, you have likely heard about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's romance. But if you're not in the know, Travis is a tight end who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift is Taylor Swift, and the pair has been romantically linked since about September 2023. As I've mentioned in past posts, I don't consider myself a Swifite. I appreciate her as a songwriter and am in awe of her stage presence and the product