Ask the Author: Emily M. DeArdo
Answered Questions (5)
Emily M. DeArdo
Just write things down, whether on a journal, on a computer, whatever. Write. Often.
And read a LOT. That's the best way to get a sense for dialogue, pacing, construction. Of course it goes without saying that you're reading good things, and not crap.
Read a lot. Write a lot.
And read a LOT. That's the best way to get a sense for dialogue, pacing, construction. Of course it goes without saying that you're reading good things, and not crap.
Read a lot. Write a lot.
Emily M. DeArdo
Usually there's an issue I want to address, something I want to explain, or I get characters and plot stuck in my head. Blog posts are usually the first two things, and books are the latter.
Emily M. DeArdo
I get out my journal and write "morning pages"--three pages to get the juices flowing. Sometimes I do this on 750words.com too. (LOVE that site.) I also keep a running list of blog ideas/book ideas in my bullet journal so if I'm really stuck, I go there.
Emily M. DeArdo
Right now I'm working on my memoir about receiving my double lung transplant, living with cystic fibrosis (CF), and faith.
Emily M. DeArdo
I taught first grade CCD (it's Catholic Sunday school, basically) for a few years, and I was amazed at the things I taught the kids that the parents didn't know. So I started writing about what we taught in class on the blog, and the book grew from there! I've added things that we didn't talk about in class but are suitable for an adult audience, like the four last things and papal elections, but most of this was taught to my students.
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