Bold Quill Studio

Ooooooo that’s actually really good! Being patient and having a budget means you can take the time to put out your best work while not worrying about money.

Thanks for sharing!

Hear hear! The struggle with B and C is audience.

Definitely requires more hard work to find that audience than authors who are trad pubbed.

Any author who can nail down building an audience would kill it. You keep most of your profit and publish on your own terms.

Thanks for sharing!

Flexibility is key, especially when you’re juggling multiple things like you are.

Also very healthy to have hobbies. I’m glad you make time for them despite your busy schedule.

I feel like a balanced life makes coming to the writing table easier and with less stress.

Thanks for sharing!

I actually agree with this. As humans, we’re not always acting. We do react to things and circumstances and people.

Having said that, due to the brevity of a book compared to a fully lived life lived in seconds to years, characters should be more active than reactive.

I love how we all seem to write with music.

Thanks for sharing!

Love it! And yes, nearby notebooks are essential to keep track of those plot bunnies.

Thanks for sharing!

Final publishing quiz question: What's your primary motivation?

A) Prestige and seeing my book in stores.
B) Building a career with total freedom.
C) An efficient launch with a high degree of ownership.

Based on all four questions, which path are you leaning toward?
#WritingGoals #CreativeCareer

Publishing Path Quiz, Question 3:

What's your ideal timeline & budget?
A) I'm very patient with a $0 budget.
B) I want it out ASAP & have a budget for my own team.
C) I have a significant budget to invest with a partner.

Which one best fits your situation?
#AmWriting #AuthorCareer

Thanks for a great week of sharing routines! For our final #BoldQuillPoll: How would you describe your overall writing process?"

⚙️ A well-oiled machine.
⚡️ A chaotic lightning storm.
🐢 Slow and steady turtle.
🎢 An emotional roller coaster.

#AmWriting

You finished your draft. Now what?

Q3 is for revising and getting feedback from beta readers.
Q4 is for querying and starting your next brilliant idea.

It's a marathon.
For those who have done it, what's your best tip for surviving the query trenches?

#AmEditing #Querying #Publishing

The goal for the second quarter is simple, but not easy: Finish your messy first draft.

That's it. That's the entire job. Give yourself permission to be imperfect. Momentum is everything.

For those drafting, what's one word to describe your current WIP's vibe?
#Writersky #WriterLife

Let's make a giant #WritingCommunity playlist.

What's ONE song that perfectly captures the vibe of your current work-in-progress?

Drop the title and artist below.
#WritingSoundtrack #RoutinesAndRitualsWeek #MusicLover

When pitching to agents, specificity is more compelling than boasting.
Don't say: A shocking twist.
Do say: She discovers her ally is her parents' killer.

Don't tell them it's unique. Show them with intriguing details.

What's a specific detail that hooks you in a book blurb?
#Querying #Publishing

A killer query needs 4 ingredients:
1. The Protagonist & Status Quo
2. The Inciting Incident
3. The Core Conflict & Stakes
4. A Hint of the Unique

This simple formula is the key to hooking an agent.

Which one do you find hardest to nail down?
#AmQuerying #WritingTips

Let's talk about the hard parts.

For today's #BoldQuillAsks, what's your biggest roadblock to a consistent writing routine?

A demanding job?
Family?
Burnout?

Let's share struggles and solutions. #WriterQandA #AskMeAnything #WritingHelp"

Is your story a blend of multiple genres? To find its core, use the "removal test."

Ask yourself: "If I remove one genre element, does the story still work?"

The one it can't survive without is your dominant genre. Lead with that one in your query.

What genres are you blending?
#AmWriting

Stop thinking of genre as a restrictive box. Think of it as a promise you make to your reader.

Romance = A promise of a love story.
Thriller = A promise of tension.

What's the core promise your current WIP is making to its readers?
#WritingTips #Genre

Let's settle this for #RoutinesAndRitualsWeek! Your writing session is powered by:

☕️ Coffee, black as night.
🍵 Tea, a gentle muse.
💧 Water, pure and simple.
💥 Chaos (soda, energy drinks, etc.)

#WritingChallenge #WritingFun #AmWriting

Before you reveal any backstory, run it through this filter:
1. Is it relevant to the CURRENT plot?
2. Does it inform a character's PRESENT choice?
3. Does it raise a compelling QUESTION?

If the answer to all three is no, it's likely an info-dump.

How do you avoid info-dumps?
#AmEditing

The Backstory Iceberg:
10% (Visible): What the reader needs to know right now.
90% (Submerged): What YOU know that gives the story weight.

Don't show the whole backstory iceberg.

Do you tend to overwrite or underwrite backstory?
#WritingTips #Worldbuilding

#RoutinesAndRitualsWeek Tip: If you're struggling to be consistent, try 'habit stacking.'

Pair your writing with something you already do every day.

Example: 'I will write for 15 minutes while my tea steeps.' It's less intimidating than a blank calendar slot!

#WritingTip #BoldQuillStudio"

Why is Katniss Everdeen so compelling? Her first big moment.

She isn't chosen for the Games (reactive). She CHOOSES to volunteer for Prim (active).

Her choice, not chance, kicks off the story. That's the key.

What's a great example of an active protagonist you love?
#AmWriting #Protagonist

Quick check on your hero: Are they a driver or a passenger?

Reactive heroes have things happen to them.
Active heroes make things happen.

Readers don't root for passengers. Give your protagonist agency and let them drive the story.

Is your current hero more active or reactive?
#WritingTips

Let's talk writing spaces.

What are three things you absolutely MUST have nearby when you sit down to write?

For me: a giant mug of tea, my noise-canceling headphones, and a notebook for scribbling.

Your turn! #AmWriting #WriterProblems #WritingCommunity"

My fave goofy editing trick: The "By Zombies" Test. Add "by zombies" after your verb. If the sentence still makes sense, it's likely passive voice.

"The window was broken..." (by zombies) ✅ Passive
"The storm broke..." (by zombies) ❌ Active
It works every time.

#WritingHacks #Grammar #AmWriting

Does your prose feel weak? The #1 culprit is often passive voice.

Active: The knight slew the dragon. (Direct & punchy)
Passive: The dragon was slain by the knight. (Wordy & weak)
This small shift makes a huge difference.

How often do you hunt for passive voice in your drafts?
#AmEditing

Kicking off #RoutinesAndRitualsWeek with a fundamental question for our #BoldQuillPoll. What's your most productive writing time?"

☀️ Dawn Patrol (5-9 AM)
💻 Mid-Day Marathon (9 AM-5 PM)
🌙 Night Owl Session (After 8 PM)
🏃‍♀️ Stolen Moments (Whenever I can!)

#WriterDebate #WritingHabits

Is your plot stalled? Try the "But & Therefore" test.
If your scenes are connected by "and then," it's a sequence.
If they're connected by "but" (conflict) and "therefore" (consequence), it's a story.

This one trick from the South Park creators is a game-changer.
#AmEditing #StoryStructure

A plot without conflict is a car without an engine. It might look nice, but it's not going anywhere.

Conflict is the force that creates a goal, forces a choice, and creates a consequence. It's the engine of momentum.

What's the core conflict driving your current WIP?
#WritingTips #Plotting

Sounds like you’re doing it right. 😁

Fixing a plot hole reverberates across the story like a domino effect, creating another plot hole(s) that must be be patched.

I say keep the fanfare! 🎉