Musings of a Sparrow….
My thoughts about God, writing, and life in general….
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How I Find Inspiration for Writing: Where I Go and What I Do
I’m always impressed with established authors who come out with a new book every year, some more than once a year. Where do they get their fantastic ideas for their novels? It’s always essential to have fresh ideas to write about….
Reading List for October/November 2023
I intend to finish Romancing the Beat this fall as well as read, at minimum, the following books….
How to Publish a Book in Today’s Marketplace: An Author’s Options.
At a writers’ conference this summer, I recently learned that I have several options when it comes time to seek publication of the first book in the trilogy I’ve written….
My Publishing Journey… Thus Far
As mentioned in previous blog posts, I began writing at a young age. By fourteen, I regularly wrote fanfiction novels about my favorite show, Star Trek: The Original Series. Later, I wrote fanfiction about Star Trek: The Next Generation and, in adulthood, about House M.D. I did write the odd original fiction short story or novella. None of these did I share with my family and friends (though the House M.D. fanfiction was shared on fanfiction websites). It wasn’t until my husband and I moved to the United Arab Emirates for his career that I had more alone time than I knew what to do with. Then, I decided I would pass the long hours writing an original novel that I would eventually try to have traditionally published….
Three Lessons I Learned at Writers’ Conferences Summer 2023
I had the opportunity to attend two virtual (online) conferences this summer. They were the first writer’s conferences I had ever attended, and despite not being around other writers in person, I found them exciting and informative….
Why I Changed the Name of My Brand and Author’s Platform
When I first decided to break out of my shell and write original fiction with the intention of mass publication for a public audience, I debated over whether or not to use a pen name….
Stop Child Abuse: My Desired Takeaway from “Filling the Cracks”
One of my purposes in writing fiction has been, of course, to entertain my reader. I want them to enjoy or at least appreciate what they’ve read and desire to return to read more of what I’ve written. I feel secure in saying that’s a desire of most if not all, fiction writers. That’s not all the takeaway I want from my writing, however. In almost everything I write, I discuss an issue to provoke a reaction from my reader, hopefully inspiring them to take action. If I provide a good time without making a statement or some difference in my writing, then in my estimation, I’ve fallen short of my goal….
My Research Trip to Chilliwack, B.C.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit family members who live in Chilliwack and Abbotsford and used the opportunity to tour the area and get a feel for the environment in which my story will take place….
Fanfiction: My Writing Experience
When I was about eight years old, I wrote poetry whenever I felt sad, afraid, or unloved, which was most of the time. I still have those poems saved in a scrapbook. However, the first real short stories (which evolved into novella and novel lengths quickly) that I wrote were fanfiction. That’s how I cut my teeth in writing, and I wrote almost exclusively fanfiction from the time I was twelve or fourteen years old until I was about forty-one years old. The subject matter flipped from science fiction to modern medical drama, but my obsession for writing it remained as intense….
My Reading List for August/September 2023
Even with the best intentions, I didn’t read everything I listed for June and July, so I shortened my list and expectations for August and September 2023. However, I am persevering with my reading!
Organizing the Plotting of My Novel
As I’ve spent years writing, I've learned the need to remain organized as I do my pre-writing and plotting before I begin writing the body of the novel. This usually involves brainstorming, fleshing out the idea, writing synopses, rewriting synopses, researching subject matter, and plotting outlines and scene lists for the story. Since I’m an ink-and-paper writer, I like brainstorming everything on paper before uploading it to my laptop for storage. In the past, that meant a lot of legal pads and looseleaf everywhere, but modern technology has come up with ways in which an old-fashioned gal like me can write things out by hand and remain organized in the modern world….
The Main Characters of Filling the Cracks (and How I Developed Them)
On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, I will debut my novel Filling the Cracks on my blog here at Jenniroman.com. While I’m excited about it, I’m also nervous. There’s no way of telling how the story will be received, and I’m hopeful yet also cautious. Despite having moments of adventure, this story is character-driven instead of plot-driven. My focus in writing was on the development of the characters; they were important to me, and I spent time developing them both ‘on paper’ and in my head. In this post, they will be briefly introduced to you (I don’t want to give too much away before the first chapter is posted), and I’ll explain my process of creating them…
Writer Self-Care
When I moved from viewing my writing as a hobby to a potential career, I focused too much on spending most of my day cranking out page after page of manuscript that I failed to look after myself and neglected my physical and emotional needs. I came across several blog posts discussing the necessity of ‘writer self-care,’ and I scoffed at them. I was too focused and driven to take time for such frivolity. I didn’t realize how much I was denying myself until I suffered the early burnout stages. I’d written full first drafts for five different manuscripts almost back-to-back, losing my mojo, my creative muse. Everything I put down on ‘paper’ was dry, bland, and yucky. I returned to those blog posts and articles on writer self-care and reread them from the perspective of someone desperately needing such advice….
Why I Love Being Canadian
In honor of Canada Day, July 1, I am writing about why I am proud to be Canadian. I promise not to be obnoxiously political (lol), but I want to address, in list form (in no order), what it is about Canada, my “home and native land” that I love.
What Is Narcissistic Abuse?
In the last blog post, I wrote about domestic violence: what it is, how to find help, and why I write about it in my stories. I mentioned that domestic violence or abuse is pervasive and destructive not just to the victim of the abusive partner but to anyone else in the family and society. I also said that this week I would discuss a type of abuse commonly found in domestic situations (though not exclusively so): narcissistic abuse. In my stories, I also write about narcissists and the abuse they cause others. For that reason, I will briefly define what it is here…
Domestic Abuse—What is it, and why write about it?
In the novel I’ve written and am in the process of pitching to literary agents, Ashes of Injustice, the female protagonist is a survivor of domestic abuse. This is a theme in other manuscripts and short stories I’ve written. One might ask what is behind my preoccupation with domestic abuse. The simple answer is that I’ve witnessed family and friends who were abused or are still in abusive relationships. I’ve seen its long-term damaging effects on individuals and families and feel the need to expose and explore it in my writing. I am a survivor of abuse—physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and financial. It’s a problem of epidemic proportions, not only in the part of the world where I live but in humanity. For these reasons, I expose it as a problem in my writing through the experiences of the characters I create. I strive not only to show the pervasive evil that domestic abuse is but also that it is possible to find freedom and healing from it…
I am a Sparrow
If you’re reading this post, you have probably landed on the first page of my website or blog and noticed the images of sparrows. It’s a running motif. Maybe you’ve asked, “What’s with the birds?” If you have, this post is for you. If you haven’t, I’d still like to explain the significance of the sparrow to you. You see, I am a sparrow…
How To Effectively Research for Writing
As a writer who is serious about her craft and has written several full manuscripts and short stories, I’ve found myself faced with having to do a fair amount of research for the stories I’ve created. Researching the topics you write about is essential. A writer can look foolish if they write about something they are completely ignorant about and get their facts and details wrong. This is especially true if you write science fiction, crime fiction, or historical fiction. Readers are knowledgeable and savvy and don’t always forgive an author for being too lazy to research their subject matter. So, it’s best to do your research…
4 Hobbies for the Introverted Writer/Reader
I write a lot. Most of my waking time is spent at my laptop or sitting outside with my Rocketbook and Pilot Frixion pens, writing, editing, researching, or brainstorming something new. I’m a bit of a workaholic and perfectionist. I have to force myself to stop and do something else with my time because it’s unhealthy to be obsessed with one job or pastime alone. So, over the years, I’ve tried my hand at several different kinds of hobbies. Being an introvert and not overly athletic, most of my hobbies are quiet and creative and can be done by myself….
Book Review of “The Water Keeper”
Writing this book review of The Water Keeper by Charles Martin was daunting, not because the book was horrible and unreadable but because the absolute opposite was true. I found this one of the best books I have ever read, and I don’t say that lightly. It both touched and triggered me significantly because the poetic beauty of the prose and the themes and messages profoundly affected how I look at life. I recommend this book to anyone willing to face the hurts and grief they have experienced and allow love, especially the love of God, to heal them…