Get all you can from a conference. You paid for it—in money and time
It’s okay to show up at a conference like a blank slate and drink it all in, but that’s not how I approach it. If I paid to attend, I...
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LV Ditchkus
Sep 42 min
Words of Wisdom from a Hero
A few months ago, I attended the Mountain Words Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado—a stunning mountain town with a world-class ski area...
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LV Ditchkus
Sep 30, 20233 min
“Not In My Profession” (NIMP) is the new NIMBY
While at this year’s RMFW conference in Denver, I picked up loads of writing craft tips, re-wrote the logline for the second book in my...
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LV Ditchkus
Jun 26, 20232 min
Have you milked a cow?
Don’t let opportunities escape—no matter how mundane or seemingly inane. We've just returned from a trip to visit dear friends in Ottawa,...
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LV Ditchkus
Jan 13, 20232 min
Who should tell your story?
The storyteller’s point of view (POV) creates a bond between your readers and the story. As an author, you should consider whether that...
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LV Ditchkus
Sep 5, 20222 min
Character Voice - Hear them before you write
Each principal character in your novel or short story should be unique, and this distinctiveness is more than how they look. Every...
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LV Ditchkus
May 17, 20222 min
Plot holes – what are they, and how to find them
When there’s inconsistency in your story OR individuals act out of character, you’ve got a plot hole that needs to be fixed. Here’s a few...
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LV Ditchkus
Jan 6, 20222 min
Breaks: Help or Hindrance?
Some authors write every day. Others (like me) write a minimum number of hours per week. When I look back at my logged hours, I see very...
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LV Ditchkus
Sep 23, 20212 min
How to judge a book by its cover
So you’ve finished writing the best book on the planet. Now it’s time to design a cover that potential readers can’t resist. Besides the...
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LV Ditchkus
Aug 24, 20213 min
Exceptional novel versus a great one - how to pick the best?
As a judge for the upcoming Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC), my team and I will be reviewing about 60 books (out of...
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LV Ditchkus
May 3, 20211 min
Gardening and writing
For those who love to plant flowers in the spring, there is nothing like cleaning out the beds and putting new plants into the soil. The...
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LV Ditchkus
Mar 18, 20212 min
Some middles have no problems
In our 40s, some people have a mid-life crisis and dwell on lost youth to the detriment of enjoying their remaining years. Those who...
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LV Ditchkus
Jan 24, 20213 min
Writing one piece at a time for a series
Many authors work for years on a novel they never finish. To them, the idea of writing a book series might seem unfathomable. But if...
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LV Ditchkus
Dec 16, 20201 min
Fugitive Ideas – Don’t let them get away
Ask any writer what one of their greatest frustrations are, and they will have a long list. However, that list will most likely...
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LV Ditchkus
Oct 24, 20202 min
Letting your baby rest
Did you know wild elephants average just 2 hours of sleep a night? Thankfully, humans typically get more sleep than that. But suffice it...
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LV Ditchkus
Sep 1, 20201 min
Critique Groups – Do you need to join one?
Assume you’ve written the perfect novel, and you’d like to start looking for an agent or consider self-publishing. How do you know your...
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LV Ditchkus
Jul 28, 20202 min
Why contribute to an anthology?
First off, what is an anthology? An anthology is a published collection of short stories or poems. It can be written by different authors...
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LV Ditchkus
Jun 24, 20202 min
Is writing a novel in a month for everyone?
If you’ve never heard of NaNoWriMo (https://nanowrimo.org), you might be amazed or in awe of what it does. This organization supports the...
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LV Ditchkus
May 5, 20201 min
Is Bigfoot the next big thing?
Check out the Speculative Fiction Writers Group post from L.V. Ditchkus: https://specficwriters.com/is-sasquatch-the-next-big-thing/
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LV Ditchkus
Mar 14, 20202 min
How to approach self-editing
As a new writer, I loved developing the first draft. My creative juices flowed, and new ideas gave me goosebumps. The editing process...
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