Success Points Highlights

Plotters or Pantsers: You Are a Multitude

Plotters or Pantsers: You Are a Multitude

Plotter or pantser? I am not fond of those terms. I am not fond of those discussions. I was on a panel discussion at Bouchercon last week, and my answer is that we are both. If you ask a professional writer if they are a plotter or a pantser, you’ll probably see them...

Prioritize Your Writing

Prioritize Your Writing

I am humbled to be a Guest of Honor at Bouchercon 2024 this week. So, in honor of all the wonderful authors I am meeting this weekend, I’ll share with you the common questions I’m getting from writers as I appear on panels, walk the halls, and generally interact with...

Forget the Rules. Just Write.

Forget the Rules. Just Write.

When I started studying writing, I thought there were rules. There are not. There are good practices, but there are no rules. If you are following rules right now, they are holding you back. When I started writing, like the Greeks, I thought there was some Muse, some...

Don’t Give Up on Your Creativity

Don’t Give Up on Your Creativity

Your creative voice is unique—no one else can express it like you. Don’t write what you think you should; write what excites you. Creativity requires tenacity and courage. Trust your instincts, push through self-doubt, and create something only you can.