Once upon a time, I decided I wanted to write a book. So I did, and it was awful.
I got back a stack form rejections. (Sometimes I didn't get a reply at all. Those were the worst.) It hurt so bad that I decided to do something about it. For a year I searched the internet during my free time, looking for anything that could help me become a better writer. I was (and still am) stingy, so I was looking for free information.
And I found it. I found tons of stuff from countless sources. (Everything I bookmarked, I've posted on this blog.) One of my favorite sources was Holly Lisle. I found her through a podcast, went to her website, and was sure I'd struck gold.
I read all her free online articles. Every. Single. One. They were very useful.
But she also had some writing clinics--cheap pdf files that focused on one subject at a time. And I could get the first 50 pages of the plot clinic free. (You can get those 50 pages here.)
So I read the sample. I loved it and after much inner-struggle with the cheap side of my personality, I bought the full-length plot clinic. It too was useful.
After I was done with the plot clinic, I bought the rest of the writing clinics: character, world-building, and language. (I bought them as a package, so I got a good deal. I'm stingy, remember?) How to Write Page-Turning Scenes came out a little later and I bought that, too. They were worth it.
After some time, I decided to sample Holly's writer's boot camp How to Think Sideways. After reading the first few lessons, I signed up for the full course that same day. I haven't looked back.
Since then, my writing skills have taken off. The course pushed my skill level ahead by years. My second book was infinitely better than my first. I was so impressed, I decided to become an affiliate so I can help other writers start or move ahead with their careers.
Since I had such great success with How to Think Sideways, I signed up for Holly's How to Revise Your Novel class. It took me 6 months of head-banging-against-the-wall fun, but I came out with a much better book.
That's why I talk about Holly Lisle so much. She helped me to look at fiction with a critical eye and how to blend my creative mind with my logical mind.
I've been writing happily ever after.
If you're looking for free resources, I suggest the Writing Advice portion of my blog:
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