Happy Spring from my writing desk! The picture is of a miniature replica helmet my dad brought back for me from the island of Crete. He picked it out for me because of the owls on it (owls are my favorite). I absolutely love it and think it’s quite the epic addition to my desk …
Category: The Writing Life
Story Study: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Today’s Story Study is all about my second fantasy favorite as a kid! ~ My first encounter: As with the early Harry Potter films (based on J. K. Rowling’s series), the 2000s movie adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe revealed a world of wonder and fantasy that captivated me …
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Story Study: The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
To begin my series of Story Studies, I turn to one of the most beloved book series of the past couple of decades and one of the earliest fantasy works I encountered as a child. ~ My first encounter: My exposure to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series was gradual. I did see the movies …
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Happy Third Birthday, Our Company of Fools
Three years ago on this very day, I completed the first draft of Our Company of Fools, my 7th full draft to finish. It is the book I never counted on, my accident novel. I spontaneously started writing it in the airport as I waited to leave a writer’s workshop, and after some minimal plotting, …
Story Studies: An Introduction
I’ve loved stories for as long as I can remember. Books were my childhood love all growing up, complemented by a couple of television cartoons and movies. My love of books made me want to be a published author, a dream I’ve cherished since elementary school. It also led me to become an English major. …
On the One Year Adventure Novel Winter Workshop 2019
Last week, I returned from the One Year Adventure Novel Winter Workshop (OYAN WW). This week-long retreat-like workshop for adults who went through the OYAN curriculum usually serves as a time of refreshment for me, and my experience this year, my third time to attend, wasn’t much different. I left feeling encouraged, empowered, and inspired …
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The Art of Giving Critique
Learning how to receive critique well is one of the hardest things we must learn as writers, but I also think it’s equally important (and sadly glossed over) to know how to give a great critique. In the spirit of the gift-giving season and as preparation for my upcoming writers’ workshop, I’ve been reflecting quite …
The Art of Receiving Critique
Let’s be honest, getting feedback on your writing is sometimes the worst. Or maybe you haven’t experienced that feeling yet because the dread of receiving a critique keeps you from sharing your precious baby story. In either case, at times, we writers (especially newer ones) tend to fear, avoid, or even resent critiques. Critiques are …
In Celebration of Finishing the Rough Draft of The Queen of Imagination
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, I typed the final words to the first draft of The Queen of Imagination, my slice-of-life middle grade novel exploring friendship, the adventures of childhood, and what it means to start growing up. It is the ninth book I’ve completed a full draft of. Loosely based off of my own …
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Why Life Makes Us Stronger Writers
Life is messy and painful. Full of conflict and discomfort. Broken and, at times, difficult to navigate. But it’s also filled with family and friends and achievable dreams. It provides us with a purpose: living a good life. Lately, I’ve seen more of the conflict of life than the joy. Some days, it’s hard to …
By Madelynn Orion 