The making of a horror novelist.
Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard: word counts, first drafts, second drafts, and the occasional serendipitous sentence.
Yes, I’m participating in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). No, I’m not doing a full novel. I’m doing a pared down version, thus the “ninny.” I wish I could take credit for the cute “ninny” in “NinnyWriMo.” It’s not an original idea, but darned if I can remember who came up with it! By all … Continue reading Ninnywrimo
Yay, my contemporary short story, “Lucretia’s Hum,” was accepted into Rayne Hall’s upcoming Gothic anthology! Woohoo! Hall is a talented short story author, particularly quiet horror and Gothic horror, and I’m stoked that she liked “Lucretia’s Hum.” Stoked isn’t very Gothic. Let's see . . . I’m chuffed to be accepted into Hall’s anthology.:-) Lucretia … Continue reading Short Story Accepted!
Psst, hey writers, they are PAYING magazines! These are some of my favorite magazines. All of them are literary, and all of them have a dark (or at least speculative) vibe. I also listed a story from each that sticks in my mind: 34 Orchard I’ve enjoyed every poem, image, and story 34 Orchard has … Continue reading Four Fab Dark Fiction E-Zines
I participated in the “All the World’s a Page” Shakespeare-themed reading challenge and learned four writing concepts I can apply to my own stories. BAND OF BROTHERS. Read a book with an ensemble cast.I read The Faulkes Chronicles by David Huddle. I learned that a plural first person narrator works if you treat the collective … Continue reading August’s Shakespeare-Themed Reading Challenge: What Bill Taught Me
Yes, my 3rd quarter goals. But first, how did I do on the goals I set for the first half of 2021? I had a goal of writing three novellas. (One of them was already in a Nano draft phase.) 1st half of 2021: Write and edit 3 novellas. FIRST NOVELLA: Done, in an editor’s … Continue reading 3rd Quarter 2021 Writing Goals
Can you use pronouns for a non-binary character without confusing readers? I recently read a ghost story (link below) by Nadine Rodriguez that successfully uses they/them for the protagonist. The story works because: • Rodriguez almost always keeps plural items and multiple persons grammatically isolated from the protagonist’s they. • The author is non-binary themself, … Continue reading Can you use pronouns for a non-binary character without confusing readers?
Priscilla Bettis, Author 