The 5 Essential Ingredients of an Effective Query Letter

March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 3 Comments

This is not a recipe blog. Or is it? Okay, maybe it is, because today I'm sharing my recipe for cooking up the publishing equivalent of a soufflé: the much-dreaded query letter. Most authors hate writing them, but query letters are a prerequisite for fiction submissions to most agents and editors. A good one will … Continue reading The 5 Essential Ingredients of an Effective Query Letter

Write Deeper: Deep POV, Voice, and Emotion

July 26, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 4 Comments

"I just couldn't connect with your story": it's the death knell of any querying author's hopes and dreams. But what does that mean? How to create that elusive connection? It requires more than a compelling character or intriguing plot. It’s about the why of it all—the emotional core of the story. As with every post … Continue reading Write Deeper: Deep POV, Voice, and Emotion

How to Grow a Sustainable Writing Habit

July 12, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 2 Comments

Writing a novel is a marathon, not a sprint. It demands sustained effort and motivation--even when the fickle muse has taken off for an extended vacation, the dishes need doing, and a thousand social media posts are vying for your limited attention. Not many of us have the privilege of writing full time, without distractions … Continue reading How to Grow a Sustainable Writing Habit

The Joy of “Pantsing” It

July 5, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 7 Comments

Writing by "the seat of your pants" is out of fashion. But what if, for me, that's where the magic happens? By "pantsing," of course, I don't mean the juvenile prank of pulling down an unsuspecting victim's pants. I'm talking about the drafting style known more accurately as "discovery writing" or "intuitive writing," which is … Continue reading The Joy of “Pantsing” It

GIDEON THE NINTH and Queer Authorial Courage

August 25, 2020November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 1 Comment

I finished reading Tamsyn Muir's electrifying debut novel last weekend and I've been thinking about it ever since.

The Unstuckening: Tools for Writer’s Block

August 13, 2020November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 4 Comments

If a daily writing process is living the dream, than writer's block is a waking nightmare. Today, apropos of nothing, I'd like to share my tools for breaking through the wall and keeping the words flowing--even when the Muse has taken an unscheduled vacation.

#WriterInMotion Week 2 – Self-Edited Draft – The Witch of Blue Ridge

August 11, 2020November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 3 Comments

This week for the Writer In Motion challenge, I explore killing my darlings and the dangerous game of throwing out an "okay" first scene. Will it kick the story up a notch, or result in a incoherent mess with a tone issue? Read on to find out... (Notes on the editing process will be found … Continue reading #WriterInMotion Week 2 – Self-Edited Draft – The Witch of Blue Ridge

#WriterInMotion Week 1: thoughts on process (and vulnerability)

August 4, 2020November 22, 2021 ~ Erin Fulmer ~ 5 Comments

I've spent last night and this morning reading the lovely first drafts of my fellow Writers in Motion. It's fascinating to see how many unique and creative directions one prompt can take in the hands of different writers: dark, surreal sci-fi, a creepy MG tale with an unseen threat, a high-stakes story of spies on … Continue reading #WriterInMotion Week 1: thoughts on process (and vulnerability)