“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

This weekend, I turn 28. We're keeping things pretty low-key as it's not what my grandfather would have called a "momentous occasion" in my mind. But 28 is still something of a milestone year for me as a writer. I've been writing since I was 14 years old. In other words, I can now officially say that I've been writing novels seriously for half of my lifetime. Who would have ever guessed that something I started dabbling in to pass the time while having to sit out of PE class

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

As writers expand their oeuvre, it's possible for quirks to emerge. Those little habits we develop over time and things that make our writing distinctly ours. These quirks can be subconscious craft-centric happenings or deliberate choices, and may also be specific to our chosen genres and individual takes on them. They can also evolve over time. With each new story I write, I end up spinning threads connecting them to the ones that came before. Many are intentional, but plent

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