On Tuesday, I met a mermaid.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “It was January. How could he see a mermaid when they’ve all gone south for the winter?” I was quite surprised myself, but I managed to meet Georgia, who is a professional mermaid. In a combination of environmental advocacy and underwater performance, this mermaid travels around to aquariums and other public events to raise awareness about sea life and preserving the ocean. After talking with her for a while, I decided to add her to my list of experts.

Every author, whether writing fiction or non-fiction, should develop a list of experts. It’s impossible for everyone to know everything, but it is possible to know enough people that it’s nearly the same thing. I’ve been compiling a list of people who, in some way or another, are experts. Friends, family members, online and in person, I’ve been compiling a document of people I’ve met who are experts in something.

I’ve been talking with my friend who recently became a ship captain about which sails would be most functional on an airship. I approached a coworker and prefaced a question with “You’re nearly a mad scientist, what do you think of…?” I have two friends who, between them, speak the major Romance Languages and a fair amount of German. I’ve needed to assure my nurse and doctor friends I was asking questions, purely for fictional purposes. With only so much experience myself, I find that having a perspective from others (often globally) is crucial to creating real characters and stories.

The best source, arguably, is straight from the expert. If you want to know something, consult a specialist. And, since we all can’t have top scientists or historians on our phones to discuss fiction ideas, we need to find the experts in our own lives. I encourage everyone to create a list like this. Not only will it be helpful in your writing, but it will also lead to some really amazing conversations with friends who know about things you never even considered.

Hello everyone! It has been…a while, hasn’t it?

Things on this end of the blog have been going at full speed! I had a wedding in Connecticut, immediately followed by the gauntlet of family holidays at home. Overall, my vacation was pretty action-packed.

Now that I’m back and a New Year has begun, I’ve got to start thinking ahead. So, below are some of my Writer Resolutions. I have a few goals outside of my writing right, but I would like to have a few writing specific goals that I can focus on and build towards. So, without further ado, Writer Resolutions 2018!

1. Jump back into the world of agent queries and finding publishing opportunities. I’ve been putting this one off for far too long, but I’ve had a good long stint to let the book rest and settle, as well as some new edits to look into. Time to put on my war paint and buckle up for 2018!
2. Be more aware of my writing weaknesses. No one wants to admit they need improvement, but I have some definite writing habits that need to be addressed. Trigger Happy Commas, Over Using Dialogue Tags, Weak Scenic Descriptions. These are all things I know need help and things I’ll be working to improve over the coming year of writing.
3. Write freely. I want to keep posting the short stories and character sketches on here because it’s something that I enjoy doing. And I hope it’s something that you enjoy. I’m going to start doing 30 minutes of writing every day (forcing it into my schedule if I must).
4. Write bravely. I need to remind myself that just because something hasn’t worked for me in the past doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I need to try and get out of my head and take risks when it comes to my work. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So, those are my 2018 Writing Resolutions. What are some of yours?

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!