I head one of the local SCBWI critique groups in my county for Young Adult and Middle Grade authors and, friends, I must confess I feel a little guilty. Sometimes, this group seems like the L. Ryan Storms writing self-improvement hour. I get SO. MUCH. from my dear friends and our talks about what elements [...]
Tag: friends
2020 Wrap Up
I shoot some stats just about every year, mostly to prove to myself that, yes, I *am* actually moving forward in this thing called a writing career. Given the craziness of 2020 all around, *I* wouldn't even blame me if I'd chosen to fall off the face of the earth, or hide under a blanket [...]
Do It Anyway
Dear friends, As this last day of the year fast draws to an end (and my kiddos would be the first to remind me that it’s ALSO the end of a *decade*), I want to talk about something that I’ve been thinking about for a while. Which is weird… …because I can’t think of the [...]
12 Books—Month 6
Okay, okay, so we're a little more than 6 months into the year. Perhaps I was being a tad ambitious about reading 12 Twitter friends' books in a year, especially when my own book launched a few months ago and I've had several signings and events and I'm still trying to keep up on recommended reading [...]
Who’s Who? Volume IV
Twitter is a blessing and a curse in one, but following the right people makes all the difference. Here’s a list of some of my favorites to follow. Get them on your list, too! Maria Stout (@MariaStout) - I’m a writer, so I really enjoy following other writers, especially upbeat ones who give their all, [...]
Who’s Who? Volume III
It's time for another Who's Who! Here's a list of people I love to follow on Twitter, and if you're a writer, a reader, or just enjoy ramblings by intelligent, fun people, you should follow them, too! T.S. Bazelli (@tsbazelli) - She's super fun, great at tweeting and quote-tweeting, and posts the best literary advice! [...]
With a Little Help from my Friends
I did a thing yesterday. Actually I did two things. I got to see my name in the byline on a front page article in the local newspaper for the first time. If I thought I was excited about that, imagine how I felt when I saw how many of my friends and family were [...]
Owning It
A large part of succeeding as a writer boils down to your willingness to put in the time. Can you accept sitting at a desk, dreaming up worlds, typing (or scribbling) the words, and getting it done? The answer to these questions has always been a resounding yes for me, but I tend to fail [...]
Writers Level Up
Have you ever stopped to think about how your favorite author got to where they are, how they wrote and published so many books, how your most loved novels ended up on your bookshelf? Probably not. Most people don’t. At least, most people who aren’t writers don’t. But for those of us who write, contemplating [...]
Pitfalls and Mountain Climbing
As a writer, I find there are infinite pitfalls of self-doubt and whole periods of time where all I do is question whether or not my writing skills are worthy. Are they good enough for the books I so badly want to author? Do my words inspire others to jump into the lives of my [...]
L. Ryan Storms 