Author Archives: Leslie

Visual Inspiration

I’m a visual learner. I am the kind of person who used to be able to picture charts and images on a test from my notes. I didn’t learn how to use that to my advantage until well into my college career, though. Now, I use visuals to get inspiration whenever I need a storyContinue reading “Visual Inspiration”

The “why” behind your “what”

At the beginning of the school year, we got a talk from our area superintendent and he asked us all: What is the “why” behind your “what”? This was a really introspective question for me, and not only in the way that I look at my teaching career or lesson plans, but in the wayContinue reading “The “why” behind your “what””

Currently Consuming June 2019

My last post, I shared some of my favorite tools and items. It got me thinking about how fun it could be to really track and share my journey through what I read, watch, listen to, etc. in case you are looking for something new to try or have heard of something and would likeContinue reading “Currently Consuming June 2019”

The Power of “No”

I recently started freelancing and picked up a few jobs that went fairly quickly. It was exciting and I quickly took on a larger editing project and a smaller, ongoing one. However, it was soon clear that the smaller job was actually a lot more work than I had anticipated, and, paired with tight deadlines,Continue reading “The Power of “No””

Revision Part 2: Layering

Now that I’m knee-deep in the revision trenches, I wanted to share exactly how I go about my revisions and the way that I layer what I’m looking for as I read through my manuscript. When it comes time to revise your draft, it can seem overwhelming to look at all the words you’ve writtenContinue reading “Revision Part 2: Layering”

Revisions Part 1: Getting Organized

I’m finally in revisions! Cue fanfare and vacations and winning the jackpot! Okay, maybe not, but it sure feels that awesome. Until….I turn back around from my daydream and see this hulking beast of a manuscript staring back at me (one reason I took a break before jumping in to revisions). Does anyone else feelContinue reading “Revisions Part 1: Getting Organized”

How Life Informs Craft: People We Admire

If you missed my first post explaining what this series is about, check it out HERE. Event There is a particular woman in my life that I admire greatly. She is strong, wise, kind, funny, and an awesome person to be around. The other day, I overheard someone recalling a memory of her and IContinue reading “How Life Informs Craft: People We Admire”

How Life Informs Craft : Celebrating the “Other”

So, I was dwelling the other day on an event that I happened to be fortunate enough to witness. As I continued thinking about it, I realized that so much of the day-to-day experiences we have can actually inform the way that we approach our writing. That’s why I’ve decided to start a new seriesContinue reading “How Life Informs Craft : Celebrating the “Other””

Character Profile Freebie!

This month on Instagram, I’m focusing on character. It is interesting when I am looking at revising my draft to think that I need to rework my characters. Shouldn’t they already be “done” and good to go? Not really. I wrote characters in draft one who did and said what they needed or wanted, butContinue reading “Character Profile Freebie!”

Creating Tension

A few days ago, I posted a question on Instagram about how other authors add tension to their stories. Most of the responses that I got went something like this: -Identify what you character wants -Then, use what your character needs as an obstacle to keep him/her from that want Sounds simple enough, right? InContinue reading “Creating Tension”