LaurelLit.com

Writer, Reader, English Teacher

Writer

I love writing, and I also love to write ABOUT writing, classic female authors, and whatever else might be on my mind. I hope you enjoy the variety!

In Love With Your Ghost (Sneak Peek!)

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He’s tentative. Searching. Like he’s apologizing for wanting me so badly, but he’s also diving head-first into his need. And my body remembers things my brain spent years trying to forget."

For the last few months, I have neglected SO MANY indie author obligations, like posting on social media, writing my newsletter, and updating my website. All because I was singularly focused on finishing my newest Sugar Pine Springs …

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How my Playlist for Total Jane Wreck Saved the Novel

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Confession time: Total Jane Wreck did not come easy. Compared to Let Me Count the Ways, which sort of wrote itself, Total Jane Wreck was at first stubborn and awkward. I knew the major plot points and I sort of grasped the character arcs (thanks to my development editor, Erica Saltzman, I went from “sort of” to “lightbulb moments”) but I couldn’t get the feel of the novel. Everything felt forced. Then I created a Total Jane Wreck playlist, which I listened …

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Writers! Stop Worrying About Whether Your MC is “likeable.” Follow These 5 Simple Rules Instead…

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Have you ever abandoned reading a novel because you just don’t care about the main character? You’re not alone! Most readers want a likeable protagonist, but that doesn’t mean that your MC always has to be a good person. They can do bad things and still be likeable. But, how? It’s really pretty simple, and most likely, you’ve been writing your main characters this way without realizing it.

First, …

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Five Overused Tropes Writers Should Avoid

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Recently, an author friend of mine was miffed when a line from his novel got edited out: I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Sure,” I told him. “Everywhere in social media, readers hate that line. They think it’s overused and cliche.”

Another thing that’s overused? Tropes.

Authors employ them to add interest, depth, and familiarity to a story. Except, some readers see tropes as cheating – a way to quickly provide exposition without …

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My Winter Song to You (Sneak Peek)

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I'll admit it--I'm a theater geek, through and through. Not just that, but while I was growing up, my BFF and I DELIGHTED in writing short stories, scripts, or the beginnings of novels we'd never finish, and laughing our heads off while we read them out loud. That's why Chapter 18 of My Winter Song to You was my favorite chapter to write. The joy Max takes in his "script" was something I could totally connect with. So, without further ado, here's …

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