Writers in the Storm

by Ossandra White

As creatives, there are lots of things that stop us from…creating. There are physical reasons, like fatigue, sickness, chronic illness, pain, discomfort, eye strain, and other such issues that hinder our bodies from actually doing the thing. There are situational constraints, such as busy schedules, other obligations, or simply the day’s 24-hour limit.

But sometimes, even when we are feeling our best and have cleared our schedules, we sit down to write and something still stops us. What if we could get down to the very root and core of it all, pinpointing the exact reasons why we are stopped so that we can correctly diagnose a solution? This article may help you get started towards doing just that. I can’t cover everything, but I can try to walk you through some of the things that you can do to step closer towards identifying the things that stop you and figuring out what to do about them.

Self-Assessment

If you are attempting to be productive and you just don’t feel right, try stopping, closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and checking in with yourself. Create a go-to list of questions to ask yourself when you feel unsettled and actually answer honestly. You often must admit there is a problem before you can treat it.

• Am I feeling pain or discomfort anywhere in my body?
• How long have I been staring at a screen?
• Am I unintentionally holding my breath?
• Is there any stressful situation happening in my life that my soul is troubled about?
• When was the last time I…
  • …ate a meal?
  • …drank water?
  • …went to the restroom?
  • …got sleep?
  • …did something I enjoyed that had nothing to do with work?
  • …stretched?
  • …got fresh air?
  • …took a moment to appreciate nature?

You may already know other triggers that cause you to feel strange. Place those on your list as well.

Different Barriers

Once you’ve checked in, you’re likely to know what you’re facing. Physical, mental, and even spiritual barriers exist. Sometimes, all three types at once. Not all problems can be solved, but knowing the reasoning behind our blocks typically helps us put things into perspective and give ourselves grace. 

Cramping and Stiffness

Stretching regularly is good when we sit at our desks and hunch over screens all day. Roll your neck and shoulders. Flex your fingers and wrists. Come away from your workstation. Bend and move around. Sometimes, being locked in one position for too long can cause our brains to be locked as well. If it helps, set an interval timer to remind you.

Eye Strain

Staring at a screen for too long can have us seeing stars! Take some time to look away. Close your eyes and place your palms over them. Count and think of something pleasant. Go look at something else, like art or nature. Admire things in your environment. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty in the mundane. Look at something without the intention of working on it. 

Deprivation of Nature

Studies have shown that most humans feel better when exposed to sunlight and fresh air. Though people have created these little industrial domes powered by electricity and cutting ourselves off from the world, it can actually do some good to ‘touch grass’, as the kiddos say these days. If you can’t go outside, open a window, or at least look out of one. If you have any house plants, tend to them. If you have pets or other humans, spend some time with them. Even if you can’t access real nature, try looking up nature ambience on YouTube. You may find calm in the sound of wind, rain, or birdsong.

Lack of Sleep

There are only twenty-four hours in the day, and it seems strange to spend so much of them sleeping. But sleep is important! Our brains need rest! Sometimes, we are rushing around and trying to do so much that we neglect ourselves. This, in turn, makes things more difficult for us.

I often push myself for days on end without rest. It may seem that busy and productive people have to power through like this, but sometimes, when we take care of ourselves, the load becomes lighter and easier. Once, I was staring at a page with a sleep-deprived brain. I couldn’t make it work until I fell asleep unawares and woke up with fresh perspective. Things that seemed so difficult in the darkness of night suddenly seemed almost comically laughable in the morning light.

Ignoring Doctor’s Orders

I know some rules are annoying, but regimens from medical professionals usually have our own best interests in mind. When we’re sick or have a chronic illness, it is important to adhere to what our healthcare providers suggest. Avoiding short-term aggravations could be costing us in the long run.

Indecisiveness

Analysis paralysis. So many options stand before us that we freeze up. In these cases, we can postpone choosing by focusing on something else, ask others what they think, or even leave it to chance and roll a die or something. This, of course, depends on how high the stakes are. I’d think twice about a crucial life decision, but might spin a wheel to settle on what color a character in my story is wearing.

Negative Self-Talk

Many of us can stand up to the criticism of others. However, when the call is coming from inside the house, it may be more of a problem. Often, it can help to combat lies with truth. For every negative thing your mind thinks, declare a positive thing back at it.

Lack of Focus

When we strain our brains with work for too long, they often start wandering away on their own. Give your brain a break by breathing, praying, meditating, thinking of other things, or even doing something else you enjoy. Play a game. Watch a show or movie. Listen to music and dance. Read something for enjoyment. Sometimes, doing these things can help you return refreshed and renewed.

Stress

Things happen, and we’re supposed to keep going. Nevertheless, not taking time to acknowledge that something is wrong, even if we can’t do anything about it, can lurk idly in the back of our brains. Our minds trying to progress without stopping to mourn or accept can be like a computer with a large program that opens on startup and keeps running in the background, causing laggy slog. When these pop up, we can’t always shut them off completely.

They may be necessary in the grand scheme of things. But often, clicking into them and accepting that they are running in the background calms things down better than leaving them ignored. They’ll still be stuck on their intro screens if we don’t face them. Just like in life. Grief doesn’t always go away, but acknowledging and learning to grow with it can be more liberating than pretending it doesn’t exist while letting it bog down our souls. Reaching out and talking to others about it may also help. Sometimes, we just need to get things off our chest so we don’t stew in it all alone.

Fear of Failure (or Success)

If we don’t want to work, it may be that our brains have fast-forwarded to all the things that will happen as a result of the writing.

If we write, we might finish this chapter

…then, the whole manuscript…

…then, we’re going to have to edit…

…then, we’re going to have to send it to proofreaders…

…then, when we finally publish, what if a reader leaves a bad review!?

This may sound outlandish, but really reflect on your brain’s thoughts. Channel what you could be dreading. Consequences are important to consider, but with something like this, it’s good to focus on one thing at a time. If a bad review is really what you are trying to avoid, you can remind yourself that you could also get a good review and that reviews are not the end goal. Why are you writing? What is your passion? Let these things surpass any fears or doubts you may have.

Personifying Our Obstacles

Sometimes, it can be helpful to personify the things that stop us. Taking them out of ourselves and looking at them as their own being can make it easier to defeat (or even care for!) them.

Negative self-talk may feel hopeless, but envisioning it as another person talking to us might motivate us to speak up for ourselves and prove ‘them’ wrong.

We may not feel it necessary to eat (though it really is)! But if hunger were a pet, we may be more motivated to nurture it. And, sometimes, it just takes us paying attention.

What holds you back? How do you work through it?

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About Ossandra

Ossandra White, also known as Wordigirl, is truly a Jill of all Trades. She writes amazing books, crafts fabulous websites and branding designs, and creates worlds that rock. She'll be teaching at the Creating Creativity: Dragon Edition, virtual conference, on May 15th and 16th, 2026 and would love for you all to join her! You can find more information at http://www.mindpotential.org. Or you can contact Ossandra directly at Ossandra White | Jill of all Trades

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Top Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

by Ellen Buikema

Have you ever paid close attention to dialogue tags?

If not, that’s awesome. They were well written! If written poorly, they can pull the reader right out of the story—never a good thing. But when written well, dialogue tags help our understanding of emotion and tone, not ruining the flow. 

The Objective of Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags tell the reader who is speaking. Sometimes the tags include the attitude of the speaker.

Use a new line of dialogue for each speaker, and attach the dialogue tag to the appropriate line.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed,” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

Construction of Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags can come anywhere in a sentence, before, after, or in the middle of the dialogue. They are introduced by commas unless there are question marks or exclamation marks ending the dialogue.

End of a sentence tags:

“You make the best cake ever,” he said through chocolate frosted lips.

“How do you always know exactly what to say?” she asked.

Beginning of a sentence tags:

I hollered, “Hey! Get back here!”

Georgia glanced behind and said, “Absolutely not. No way.”

Mid-sentence tags:

“These math problems look tricky,” I said, frowning at my worksheet. “There’s no way I can finish all of it today.”

“Well, that sucks. I’m only here for a few days!” Kaitlin whined into her cellphone. “We haven’t seen each other in forever. When are you free?”

“Adam,” my father demanded, “get off the phone and finish your homework!”

 When placing dialogue tags in the middle, be sure the tag still comes after the first line of dialogue so that the reader knows right away who is speaking. Hunting for names pulls the reader out of the story.

Actions can be joined with dialogue tags using commas.

Dialogue tags with action:

“Hey,” he said, walking toward me down the hallway.

“I thought that was you,” I said, giving him a grin.

The Following are not Dialogue Tags

Actions and Descriptions

It’s not a dialogue tag if it can stand by itself as a sentence.

The following line from the section on the Objective of Dialogue Tags uses a dialogue tag. (The comma after To bed is the clue.)

“To bed,” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

An alteration changes the tag into an action beat.

“To bed.” I rolled my eyes. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

The eyeroll is an action that shows the character’s irritation, rather that saying/telling that the character is irritated. (It’s better to show than tell.) Since I rolled my eyes is a complete, standalone sentence, it isn’t a dialogue tag.

Periods separate the action/description from the dialogue in place of commas.

Facial expressions

“To detention.” She scowled. “Where else would I be going right now?”

“Really!” Tim’s eyebrows raised. “What did you do?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her eyes glazed over.

Tone of voice

“I thought I already said I’m sorry.” His voice wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy either.

Must You Always Use Dialogue Tags?

The most important thing to remember is to make your dialogue easy to read and understand.

When writing short dialogue, with a few words in each line, you won’t need as many dialogue tags, especially if there are only two people chatting.

“I'm trying to read,” Ali said.
“Why?” Bill asked.
“To better my mind,” Ali answered. “What do you need?”
“Oh, nothing,” said Bill.

Some of these tags are longer than the dialogue itself. They are distracting and not really needed. If the characters are previously introduced, the tags aren't necessary.

“I'm trying to read,” Ali said.
“Why?” Bill asked.
“To better my mind. What do you need?”
“Oh, nothing.”

The second example removes the second set of tags. It reads faster. It’s simple. Simple is good.

If you are writing with more than two characters, use tags to clearly show who is speaking.

Internal Dialogue? 

To show what a character is thinking—their internal dialogue—eliminate the quotation marks and use italics for their thoughts. Some writers include the word thought as a dialogue tag, to make it clearer for readers. 

I hope he doesn't ask me to let him in for a drink, she thought. That was the worst date ever!

Personally, I feel using the word thought in the internal dialogue is unnecessary for most readers, but can be helpful in books for young children.

Dialogue Dynamic

Too many tags can make your dialogue unwieldy. Deciding when to use them depends upon the number of characters in the scene. In the first example, there are two characters: the babysitter and her charge. If a starting point has been stated and the lines alternate, some tags can be omitted.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed.” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

“You don’t have to be mean about it.”

For a longer scene or one with more characters, the reader may lose track of who is speaking. It’s easy to get lost in dialogue, even with only two people, if there is a lot of back and forth and not enough context.

Make dialogue interesting by using a combination of action, dialogue tags, and lines without tags.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed.” I rolled my eyes. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

“You don’t have to be mean about it.”

I stopped, turned around to face her, and muttered, “I’m sorry, Alice.”

The actions and expressions still tell the reader who’s speaking but make the scene dynamic.

Word Choice in Dialogue Tags

Some actions that would be hard, at times impossible to do while speaking, like holding their breath. You can sigh, groan, or laugh out a word or two, but probably not over the length of a few sentences.

Ponder the following: 

• Would this happen?
• Will it take the reader out of the story?

Act it out, when in doubt!

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me,” she sighed.

Try sighing that! There’s no way to sigh for that long. It’s not natural. There’s not enough breath.

Instead try:

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me,” she said.

“I doubt it.” She sighed. “I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me.”

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me.” She sighed.

Dialogue Flow

The reader’s experience can be hindered, or made satisfying by the way the dialogue tags are structured.

• Introduce dialogue with a separate line for each speaker and a tag that shows who’s speaking.
• Consider the placement of the tag and the commas that introduce or follow.
• Use actions and either omit or use a variety of tags to make your dialogue dynamic.
• Consider the reality of your word choice when it comes to dialogue tags. Is it a physical reality?

Read here for 12 helpful lists of dialogue tags.

How do you feel about using the word said in dialogue tags? When writing dialogue, do you tend to put tags in the middle, beginning, ending of a sentence, or mix it up? Has dialogue ever pulled you out of a story? What’s one of your favorite dialogue tags?

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About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written Parenting ... A Work in Progress, non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

by Lynette M. Burrows

Has convention and bookselling season started in your corner of the world? Will you schedule yourself to read your work to a group? 

As writers, we spend a lot of time alone with our thoughts and our keyboards. Preparing to give a reading can be daunting. Questions and doubts raise up and fill us with trepidation. Where do I start? What do I read? How much do I read? How do I get through the reading without sounding like an idiot? What do I wear? Stop. Take a breath. This is your guide on how to be awesome reading your story aloud.

First tip: Don't hide behind your book.

Talk to Your Host

Preparation begins with knowing more about what’s expected. Ask your host: will you be sitting or standing? At a table or a podium? Will you use a microphone? Do you check in? When and where? Is it okay to sell books after the reading? Can you ask for signups for your email list? Is it okay to bring props or bookmarks? How long are you expected to read? 

Sometimes how long you read is a set amount of time chosen by your host. Sometimes you get to choose. If you have a choice and are a first timer, it’s a first novel, or you can’t/don’t want to be on stage for long, choose a 20-30 minute reading time.

Decide on What to Read

First, know your audience. How? Ask the host. Look at the ads for that event. Look at the neighborhood around the event. You may no know specifically who will show up, but you'll get an idea of the probable audience. Read from the book that suits their niche. Next, find a section of your book that reflects the tone of your book, one that needs little set up, and contains interaction between two characters with different goals. It can be a funny section, a sad section, or an action/suspense section. Long sections of backstory or description do not work well when reading aloud. Aim for a length that will give the audience a feeling of a complete scene. Sounds hard, doesn’t it? Make several choices. Play with them a little.

Read your choices aloud one-by-one. Occasionally, you’ll find that the section you love the most is the least entertaining to read aloud. Choose the one that is the most entertaining to listen to. (you may need a friend to listen and help you decide) Chances are you’ll hear one aloud and realize it’s the best choice. When you’ve made your choice, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Decide what you want to read from meaning, do you read from a digital device, the printed book, or printed manuscript pages. What matters here is choosing what is most comfortable for you. Choose one that you don't lose track of the line or page you're reading and is easiest for you to see under any lighting situation.

Prepare Your Manuscript

I mark a pause with a hashtag, underline words I tend to stumble over, and slash to indicate which words I need to enunciate more clearly. Use whatever markings help you read more smoothly.

If your reading selection needs some setup, write one. Make the story introduction as entertaining as the storytelling. Devote no more than two or three short paragraphs to the setup. Shorter is better.

You may need to revise your reading selection a bit to take out the narrative that slows the oral storytelling down, or to make sentences easier on the tongue. That’s okay. Do it.

Print out your selection (Don't read from your electronic device it's too easy to lose your place.) Make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with wide margins and an easy to read, large font. I use 14 pt, Ariel. Use what makes it easy for you to read.

Record Yourself

Read it aloud again. Record this reading. Then listen to the recording. As you listen, mark places on the manuscript where you need to use an emotional tone. Mark words that you tend to stumble over. There will be places where you should slow down or speed up. A time when you should lower and raise your voice. Devise a consistent method of marking these places so you remember what those marks mean.  I write a note to myself at the top of every page: “Slow Down.” When nervous, most of us speak faster and faster. This reminder does the trick for me. Secure the pages together. You don’t want a page to go missing in the middle of a reading.

One more thing, plan your pauses so you can look up at your audience. You might want to mark the words where you pause with a highlighter or even with your finger so you can return to reading aloud without a stumble. 

Plan Ahead

Visit the space ahead of time if you can. It will help calm some of your nerves as well as inform you about how large or small the space is, if there is background noise you need to plan for, and whether you plan for casual or more formal situations.

Decide what you will wear—something that represents your characters or setting? Something dressy or very casual? Whatever you choose, make certain you are comfortable wearing it. Choose something that you feel you look your best when wearing it.  How will you style your hair? Makeup—yes or no?

Decide what props you will bring. Published book(s) or cover flat(s), bookmarks, and business cards are a good start. You might want to invest in some small easels to hold your books upright. You can have story-related props on display. Giveaways can entice people to come to the reading but they won’t necessarily be readers. Treats may be something you’d bring. Know how and where you will display your props.

Introduction and Questions

Be prepared to introduce yourself. —It doesn’t have to be more than a line or two. Certainly no more than 5 minutes. Practice introducing yourself. It can feel awkward at first. Practice it until you’re comfortable. And remember, it’s okay to write it down and read your introduction aloud, too. 

Imagine what questions your audience might ask after you finish reading. Prepare answers that will entertain and tease at the rest of your story. Remember that no matter how well you plan, there will be at least one question you didn’t expect. That’s okay. Practice saying things like, I’m sorry I don’t have an answer to that, or no one has ever asked that before  but off the top of my head… That way you’ll feel more confident when those questions come up.

Make a marketing plan for your reading—share the information on your website and social media. Let your readers know that you’ll be doing the reading. Remind them several times. Ask friends to be there to root for you.

Alternate Plans

Be prepared for the possibility of no audience, a tiny audience, and a humongous audience. There’s no predicting what will happen unless you’re as well known as George R.R. Martin. What will you do if there’s only one person in your audience? 

You can do almost anything if you have only one or two listeners. You can go ahead and read out loud. Who knows? Your reading aloud may turn nearby shoppers into listeners. You can tell that person that you would be happy to read to them but if they’d rather chat about your books you’re willing to do that. Or you can chat with and get to know that one audience member. Show an interest in your reader. You never know when a little interest can turn a fan into a super fan.

Prepare Your Introvert/Extrovert Side

Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you’re not alone. However, introverts may need to prepare themselves. Prepare an exercise or pep talk to help energize you before the show. How? You can simply chant, “I can do this.” But consider marching or dancing (in private), clapping your hands, and chanting “You got this!” Believe it or not, some vigorous exercise can help steady your nerves and help your extroverted side (however tiny it might be) come out.

Practice, Practice, Practice

• Use a timer so you can pace your reading
• Have a glass of water at hand
• Record your practices.
• Listen to the recording—are you speaking loud enough? Are you enunciating clearly?
• If you are not adept at changing voices like an impersonator, don’t try. You can change your volume, your tone, or the pace with which you speak to indicate different characters.
• Do what your characters do—shake a fist, whisper, smile, frown, whatever.
• Match the emotion in your face and voice to the words you’re reading.
• If you typically read a little long, try trimming words out of the manuscript. If you read short, add more pages or even another scene. But remember, nerves tend to increase the speed with which you read, so you might want to prepare an extra page or two just in case.
• Stop the reading at a place that will make your readers want more. (That's hint number three. )

The Day Before

• Make certain you have your props, your manuscript packed, and your clothes laid out and your props ready to go (yes, I repeated it so you will consider double and triple checking).
• Verify the location and time of your reading.
• Don’t practice this day. Relax. Do whatever you enjoy and will help you relax. Get your hair done? A manicure? A movie?
• Drink plenty of liquids the day before so you are not dehydrated before you start your reading.

The BIG Day

• Double check that your props, your correct manuscript, your props (yes, a second time), and your clothes are ready.
• Take a drink in a spill-resistant container. Water or tea with a little honey and lemon will help soothe your throat and voice.
• Get ready and be at the venue 10-15 minutes early.
• Check the layout. Do you have a microphone? Are the microphones working? Test and adjust the microphone to best amplify your voice as you read. No microphone? No worries, plan to speak a little louder and more slowly.
• Set up your props and/or giveaways.
• Smile. Breathe. It will be okay.
• If you need to visualize your audience in their underwear, do that. But, in my opinion, the best way to steady your nerves is preparation (which if you follow this guide, you will be amply prepared). Take another deep breath and just start.

Show Time

• Sit or stand as straight as you can. Smile. Even if there’s only one person in your audience. 
• Connect with your audience. Sit in an approachable way. Make eye contact. Say hello. Thank your audience for coming.
• Introduce yourself.
• Take a breath. You’ve got this. Read your story.
• Some members of your audience will love it even if you read the phone book. Be prepared for people to get up and move around during your reading. Don’t let it throw you. Someone will be intrigued by your book. That someone is your reader. Smile at that one!
• Pause at the end and smile again. (Did you get applause? AWESOME!)
• Thank your audience for their attention. (You will want to send a written thank you to your host after it’s over.)
• Depending upon your arrangement with your host, you may move from performance into selling your books. Be prepared to autograph your books, too. 

After the Show

• Be prepared to be pleasant even though you’re exhausted and packing up.
• If you find yourself, rewinding and scolding yourself for mumbling or stumbling over a word. Stop!  Forgive yourself.  We’re all human. No matter how many times you stumble over a word, or fumble a page-turn, there is always somebody who gets hooked on the story.
• Congratulate yourself. You survived. If you made some sales, Whoo Hoo! 
• Reward yourself. You just did a hard thing. Have your favorite meal or treat or drink. If you’re too tired to “people” any more, mark the occasion with something special. Light a scented candle or your favorite incense. Give yourself permission to read, to do nothing the rest of the day, or to watch something fun on television.
• If you’re anything like me, there are boxes to unpack. You don’t have to unpack the minute you get home unless that will help you relax. 
• Send a thank you note to the host within a few days of the event. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Be sincere. If you can honestly compliment the host for something they did for the event, do that.
• Plan to have a low-key day after the show. If you’re not a natural-born performer or extrovert, being the center of attention can be exhausting. Plan to take it easy for at least one day afterwards. 
• Again, if you’re anything like me, you were too nervous to drink enough liquids yesterday, so be sure to re-hydrate the day after.

However long it takes you to recover, is perfect. But, don’t forget to book another reading soon. 

Making Fans with the Musicality of Your Reading

Reading fiction aloud can be a mesmerizing as music. Reading prosody, is the term for that musical style of reading. In other words, it’s reading with expression. Remember that reader, the one who hung on every word? They thought you and your story were awesome. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? Hold onto that feeling. Reading aloud is one of the many ways writers can connect with readers. And reading with expression is how to be awesome reading your story aloud. In fact, reading aloud can get a little addictive. (Ask me how I know.)

What is your best tip for reading your own work or, if you’ve never read aloud to an audience, what do you think is the next best thing for connecting with your readers?

About Lynette

Lynette M. Burrows is an author, blogger, writing coach, and Yorkie wrangler. She survived moving seventeen times between kindergarten and her high school graduation. An experience that helps her write speculative fiction stories of complex women whose challenges change themselves and their imperfect worlds. 

Her Fellowship Dystopia trilogy tells the story of a chilling version of America in the 1960s, where even the elite can be judged unbelievers and hunted by the merciless Azrael. Midwest Book Review called it, "a chilling but inherently fascinating read from start to finish.”

When she’s not writing her next project, Lynette, a certifiable chocoholic and coffee lover, avoids housework and plays with her two Yorkshire terriers. You can find Lynette online at lynettemburrows.com.

Image Credits

Featured Photo by Pixabay

Top Photo by George Milton

Second Photo by Lynette M. Burrows

Third Photo by fauxels