If Walls Could Talk: Scriptwriting Life Support
Three years ago, I called something that happened on TV over the last few weeks. So let’s talk about production and screenwriting. I am a television junkie. I watch an obscene amount of it and am currently sulking because Summer means
If Walls Could Talk: Getting into the Writing Mindset
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I will message James with some form of, “I need to write.” Really, I can’t. But, sometimes, despite the miles long to-do list that I have in front of me, I can’t write. Take
If Walls Could Talk: Saying No to Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome is all too common in writers. Either we think we aren’t good enough, or newbies think because they haven’t been published yet they aren’t writers. To kick this off, let me say something super important. If you write, you are
If Walls Could Talk: Embracing the Sting of Rejection
Let me be blunt. As a writer, you will get rejected. Repeatedly. Sometimes in rather painful ways. As a woman who writes murder mysteries, I can honestly say I’ve gotten a rejection letter because I’m a woman (of course, they didn’t outright
If Walls Could Talk: My Inner Critic
My inner critic is a nightmare. If there is a single factor that makes my work slow down, it’s that. Honestly, lately, as I’ve been dealing with everything, it’s gotten so bad that James has to step in and tell
If Walls Could Talk: From Pantser to Plotter
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the terms I used in this week’s title, let me start off by explaining those. Planners are exactly what it sounds like: someone who plans out their stories. Now, that can take many
If Walls Could Talk: Stop Putting Off that Project
This might end up being one of those times where I have to practice what I preach. The last several times I’ve posted on social media, I get messages from friends talking about how they saw my post and want
If Walls Could Talk: What’s in a Name?
So, here’s your fun fact. My name almost wasn’t Mary Helen. It’s odd to think about that I came within weeks of being named something else entirely. I was almost Helen Marie. I was named after one of my grandmothers. But, a
If Walls Could Talk: Dabbling with Writing Programs
Two weeks ago, we dove into some writing resources that make the writing life so much easier. I briefly mentioned word processors in “Resources Every Writer should Have,” but I want to highlight some of the programs I’ve used over
If Walls Could Talk: Interacting with a Story
Spoilers for Insomniac Games' Spider-Man. It seems like a lot of my posts since bringing this column back are about me searching for inspiration. It’s probably because even though I’m getting slightly better, it feels like most days my tank is