Wait. Do I Need New Shoes?
~ By Melina Kantor I used to feel like I knew how to “conference.” At one point in my life, I attended RWA Nationals three years in a row. I knew people. I had an RWA chapter. I had business casual clothes. Oh. And I was writing. And not just sometimes. And then. I moved […]
What Karate Has Taught Me About Writing
~ By Melina Kantor I wasn’t planning to write a novel. Especially not in thirty days. But one October day in 2007, as I was walking my dog in Central Park while listening to a podcast, I heard about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Minutes after I got home, I signed up. A few weeks […]
My Story as a Playlist
~ By Melina Kantor When I tell people that I always, always, always create a soundtrack for my WIP, the response is often, “Oh. Well I can’t write to music.” You know what? I honestly can’t either. I get too distracted and too lost, especially by songs I feel connected to. Music can turn my brain […]
Reentry and Giving Yourself a Break
~ By Melina Kantor We hear it all the time. BICHOK. Want to be a writer? Write. Writers write every day. And of course, all of that is true. But I’ve got to confess something. I just finished a first draft of a story. I sat my butt down and put my hands on the keyboard […]
GMC, Wonder Woman, and Unlocking Your NaNoWriMo Story
Wow, okay. So NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) begins exactly a week from today. Have you figured out your plot? Eh, don’t worry, neither have I. Besides, as they say, “no plot, no problem.” Right? NaNo is the time to write with “literary abandon,” forget the rules, and just write. Right? Well. . . The […]
Readers, Writers and Protagonists Setting Healthy Boundaries
Warning: This post makes references to violence and sexual assault. If you’d rather skip this post, we completely understand. Note: Much of what I share in this post I’ve learned from taking empowerment self-defense and martial arts classes at an organization called El HaLev. Learn more by reading or watching “Beauty Bites Beast” by Ellen Snortland. […]
Attn: All the Single Ladies — You Are Astonishing!
~ Melina Kantor Hello, All the Single Ladies, My last post in our honor was about HEA’s and why we are more than capable of writing them. I’m back! I wasn’t planning on writing another post about “single ladies,” but there’s something I feel the need to discuss. Actually, there’s a part of that something […]
Giving and Receiving Critiques [Repost]
~ By Melina Kantor You can’t get very far in the writing world without learning, and quickly, that writers need to develop a thick skin. Our work is always out there for critique partners, reviewers, agents, editors, and readers to read and pick apart. As scary as this may be, it’s actually for the best. Every […]
There’s a Diva in my Basement [REPOST]
~ By Melina Kantor Note: This is based on a similar post that originally appeared here. Melina no longer lives in the building described below, but The Divas are willing to have a long distance relationship. Some people have nightmares in their closets. Some people have boys in their basements (and not in a serial killer way). My basement, […]
Writer Crazy – Brought to you by Goats
~ By Melina Kantor You know how new doctors say that they don’t feel like real doctors until they hear themselves being paged? Or how new teachers say that they don’t feel like real teachers until kids call them Mrs. / Mr.? When I started writing, I desperately searched for something to make me feel […]
Yiaourtopita – Greek Yoghurt Cake
~ By Melina Kantor Hi Everyone! I’ve got Katerina here, the protagonist from my most recent NaNoWriMo project. She’s anxious to speak to you about a recipe. She’s getting all deep and philosophical and saying it represents her or something. You’ll have to excuse her. She’s a baker. She’s always doing that. But she’ll have […]
Attn: All The Single Ladies – Write Those HEA’s!
~ By Melina Kantor We’ve all heard romance authors say some version of this before, right? “I’d like to thank my husband. It’s because of him that I’m able to write happy endings.” It’s a sweet sentiment, and a very nice thing to say during a RITA acceptance speech or in an anniversary wish on […]
