At first the whole idea of writing another novel seemed daunting. Even though the characters and story had been tugging at my heart for a while. Then I remembered something I learned in a Jennifer Louden class years ago:
Baby steps.
A lot can be accomplished by consistently doing a big project in teeny tiny chunks. Continue reading →
Hi Friends!
I’m reporting in on my Fast Drafting process (as taught by Jessica Brody) of my new novel, “Feathers in the Sand” (current working title).
I’m about 2/3 of the way done (I think, I hope!) with about 65,000 words in the Scrivener file. I should be done with this FIRST draft around mid-May and then the REVISING will begin. Continue reading →
Q. In your novel, Dragonflies at Night, which character do you most relate to and why?
A. Even though I didnāt lose my parents until my adult years, I relate the most to Savannah because I totally understand her fear of receiving a cancer diagnosis. I went through surgeries and treatments for breast cancer in 2002 and again in 2011, so I can tell you that her fear is very real. Continue reading →
I’m happy to report that my fast drafting is going well. I’m two weeks in now and I’ve been able to keep to my commitment of 4-5 days a week, butt in seat, fingers moving on the keyboard No Matter What, 2-3 hours each time. Progress is being made. I am falling more in love with Tess and Eva and Micah (Tess’s mom? Continue reading →
As you may have heard, I have begun work on my new novel which is tentatively called Feathers in the Sand. For the last few months I’ve been devoting my scheduled writing time to creating characters, doing research, imagining settings, and dreaming up plot points. This photo shows part of my process of creating/getting to know the main characters (me and my imagination, holed up in a hotel room in Maine, with colored markers and lots of paper!). Continue reading →
It just occurred to me that some of you might not know that there’s a whole lotta FREE stuff going on right here on AnneMarieBennett.com, for those who love to read (and I know
that’s YOU!)
Check out this page here for:
* my 50-page novella, All You Need is Love..and Continue reading →
A few months ago, I was lucky to have a chance to sit down via Zoom and chat with Nancy Norbeck, creator of the podcast series Follow Your Curiosity. You can listen to our talk here.
I share with Nancy about my creative history as well as SoulCollageĀ®, the shift to writing fiction more often and “for real,” as well as my fascination with and research into how celebrity affects those who inhabit it, all of which is in direct relation to my recent publication of Dragonflies at Night: More Than a Love Story. Continue reading →
Ā I practice an intuitive self-discovery process called SoulCollageĀ® where we make many different collaged 5×8 cards to create a personal deck. We included cards that represent our inner voices/parts, beloved community members and teachers, archetypal guides, and Animal Companions that embody our chakras.
One of the first cards I made was this one, to honor the part of me who loves to write.Ā Continue reading →
Early in December, I spent four days in Maine on what I like to call a “personal writing retreat.” This involves me-and-only-me spending several days and nights in a retreat center, vacation condo, or cottage. When my calendar (and noisy mind) is mostly free from distractions, I am better able to give myself over to whatever story is birthing itself in me. Continue reading →
There has been some talk in my writer’s groups about what we listen to while we’re writing. For me, when I’m “making up stories” aka working on a novel, I prefer silence. Or the sound of the ocean outside my door, as I was lucky enough to hear last week while retreating Maine. Continue reading →