Set-backs in writing are…frustrating. And discouraging. I know set-backs are common for writers. Stories not working out, characters falling flat, readers not understanding something in the book, etc. There are always scenes to revise and stories to sort out. And it takes humility to see it, to say, “It’s not ready yet,” and be willing …
Author: Madelynn Orion
Fools Friday: Holding the Dream
As one final Fools Friday post, I wanted to share a video from December 2020 when I received my first proof copy in the mail. This was a special moment for me because it’s the first time I held a physical copy of my book in book form and saw how the cover art would …
How Our Company of Fools Changed My Writing
Fueled by an explosion of inspiration and angst, I wrote Our Company of Fools at the beginning of January 2016. I’d never written a book of that length that quickly. I’d never written a more personally emotional book. I never wrestled so much with a story through the ebbs and flows of editing and revision. …
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Fools Friday: Failed Sequels
Oh boy. Today’s a fun topic. If you read my post last year summarizing the history of Our Company of Fools, you might remember that I mentioned my attempts at a sequel never panned out. For today’s Fools Friday, I want to dive a bit deeper into the directions I considered for a sequel and …
Fools Friday: Behind the Cover Art
Happy Fools Friday! Today, I wanted to tell the brief history behind the cover art for the book. The cover was created by Caleb Cole, a graphic designer, fine artist, and friend of mine, but before the project was handed off to him, I actually tried to design a cover myself…using Canva. I know, I …
Fools Friday: Our Company of Fools Soundtrack
What if Our Company of Fools had a soundtrack? I love music and the storytelling power of music. I usually write to instrumental music, mostly video game scores or movie soundtracks, but when I’m in the car, I’m all about jamming out. Much of the time, I listen to certain songs on repeat help me …
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Happy 1st Book Birthday, Our Company of Fools!
Hello and Happy New Year! Today is a big day because…it’s the one-year anniversary since Our Company of Fools was released! Huzzah! For those of you who may not know what Our Company of Fools is, it’s a young adult fantasy thriller novel about a group of young writers who literally face their demons. It’s …
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Reading Recap 2021
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays! 2021 is coming to an end, and that means it’s time to ring in what’s becoming an annual tradition for me: my reading recap of the year! Since I read nearly 40 books this year, I'm only going to go over a few of the highlights. I’ve …
Audience Expectations, Longing for Redemption, and Spider-Man: No Way Home
Careful! A web of major spiders–er, spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home lies ahead! Despite my neutral feelings about Spider-Man, Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to land in my Top 5 Favorite MCU Movies, sitting just behind Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame, Thor: Ragnarok, and Thor. Putting aside my nostalgic bias for Thor (the superhero …
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Writing Update: December 2021
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Here’s my present to you: a Winter Writing Update! My latest writing update can be summed up in one simple sentence: I’m going all in to the Whitman Court series. While this isn’t necessarily shocking or new, it’s reflective of my state of mind to actually declare the series as …
By Madelynn Orion 