Cooking the Books: Twisty Sourdough Pretzels
In my house, we love enjoying fresh-baked treats while reading our favorite books. Today, I wanted to share one of our favorite recipes –...
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Laura McNeill
- Dec 12, 2018
- 2 min
What Decorating Cookies Can Teach Writers About Story Detail
I adore the holiday season. I love the twinkle of lights, stockings hung by the fireplace, the nip in the air (even in Birmingham,...
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Laura McNeill
- Dec 5, 2018
- 2 min
3 Over-Caffeinated Lessons Learned from NaNoWriMo 2018
Yes, I’m one of the (semi) crazy ones. This year, over-committed and over-caffeinated, I joined hundreds of thousands of...
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Laura McNeill
- Nov 7, 2018
- 1 min
Fabulous Fall Giveaway – Books, Coffee, Mug, T-Shirt, & More
Hi Friends, I am in deep in the middle of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), working on my next book, but hit the pause button...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 21, 2018
- 3 min
Six Writing Lessons Learned from Watching ‘Stranger Things’
My 13-year-old son loves Stranger Things. He sits on the sofa, rapt, as the music starts and the action begins. He can’t wait for season...
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Laura McNeill
- May 23, 2018
- 2 min
Five Reasons Why Taking a (Temporary) Writing Break is Okay! (And What to Do in the Meantime)
Nearly two years ago, I had reached writer-burnout. I’d released two suspense novels back to back, done large, multi-state book tours,...
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Laura McNeill
- May 3, 2018
- 1 min
Best Writing Books, Part 2
I’m back today with three more “best writing book” recommendations. Two of today’s choices may seem a bit out of the ordinary, as they...
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 29, 2018
- 2 min
Best Writing Books, Part 1
I’m often asked about my favorite books on writing. I have shelves of books on writing, editing, publishing, story structure — you name...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 21, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday – Do’s and Don’ts ~ Part 3 (Networking)
This is the third part of three in my series of Do’s and Don’ts for New Authors. I’ve covered Work-Life Balance (Part 1) and Marketing...
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Laura McNeill
- Oct 7, 2015
- 3 min
Writer Wednesday: Do’s and Don’ts for a First Book ~ Part 1 (Work-Life Balance)
A few weeks back, I served on a writer panel in Dallas with three wonderful and smart authors — Kristy Cambron, Katherine Reay, and Mary...
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Laura McNeill
- Jul 22, 2015
- 1 min
Book Launch Party for Center of Gravity
It’s been such a whirlwind since Center of Gravity‘s launch July 14th, but I was so fortunate to be able to stop and visit with my very...
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Laura McNeill
- Jun 17, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: 10 Ways to Fuel Motivation
A lot of people tell me that they’ve always wanted to write a novel. They have an idea, a synopsis, an elevator pitch, and interesting...
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Laura McNeill
- Jun 3, 2015
- 2 min
Writer Wednesday: Word Count or Word Quality
There is a belief among writers that, every day, authors must put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and reach a certain word count....
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 29, 2015
- 2 min
Writing Wednesday: One Million Words
One of my favorite books about writing craft contains a quote that really resonates with me. In On Writing, Stephen King offers this sage...
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Laura McNeill
- Apr 1, 2015
- 1 min
Signing ‘Center of Gravity’ Sept. 5 & 6, 2015 – Decatur Book Festival
I’m super-excited to be a part of the 2015 Decatur Book Festival, taking place from Sept 5 – 6th. I’ll be speaking briefly and signing...
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Laura McNeill
- Mar 30, 2015
- 2 min
Creating Unforgettable Settings: Mobile, Ala.
Recently, I asked my Facebook friends about their favorite novel settings. The answers were awesome, and varied, with people mentioning...
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Laura McNeill
- Feb 22, 2015
- 2 min
5 Ways to Write A Fantastic First Line
There’s no one perfect formula for writing fantastic first lines. They can be short or long, descriptive or straightforward. The choice,...
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Laura McNeill
- Feb 22, 2015
- 2 min
7 Seconds to Make A Great Impression
According to leading psychologists, you have only 7 seconds to make a good first impression. It’s barely the blink of an eye—enough for a...
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Laura McNeill
- Feb 22, 2015
- 3 min
5 Ways to Write Great Scenes – The Tiny Details
Last time, I talked about 5 key things to keep in mind when writing scenes. Today, let’s break down the small, but crucial details. 1....
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Laura McNeill
- Feb 22, 2015
- 3 min
5 Ways to Write Sensational Scenes – The Big Picture
Read a novel lately that you couldn’t put it down? What about a book that haunted you in your sleep or kept you up at night? The author...
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