Here's the thing. I'm not about to reinvent the wheel. It exists. It works. Why change it? What I am going to do is put you in the right direction because I believe in sharing so we all can learn and get better at what we love to do.

I can never remember what's a simile or a metaphor or an analogy, and definitely don't ask me about a preposition. For some reason, that information doesn't come to mind. Mostly, I wing it. Then if something is underlined when I'm typing it up, I hover over it and see what the suggestion is. And truth be told, I couldn't be bothered digging down into that kind of detail to relearn this shit again. I feel like somewhere in the depths of my mind I “know” it, and it'll come out the way it's supposed to when I write.

Don't get me wrong, I'm open to learning. I intend to write as true to my voice as I can, infusing my personality into my stories, and developing characters that have grit and integrity. I know that to do so, I need to have the right tools, and I've been lucky enough to come across some gems.

Domestika

Learning from other writers is my go-to for courses. My interest isn't so much the technicalities of writing (let's face it, most of the courses repeat the basics), but rather their personal journeys and how they've developed their voices. These are remarkable writers, giving me a front-row seat into their minds as they work. Here's a list of the courses I've done, and what I've taken from each of them.

•  João Tordo taught me about The Old Man and The Sea. Maybe I heard about this book before, and didn't remember it, but he prompted me to read it. He also demystified the writing process for me. Stop over thinking it, just write.
• Cristina López Barrio taught me about the writing ritual. Each part of the process sets the mood for the writing to come. There's no expectation on outcome, only that writing will happen. She also shared how she prepares for a new project, outlining every aspect of the story before writing.
• Emily Barr taught me how to plot for a psychological thriller. Funny enough, this is what I used when I wrote the short story version of Here Lies Vincent Jacobs. She also taught me that I don't have to give too much detail, to let the reader build the story in their heads rather than me describing every detail.
• Shaun Levin taught me how to gather ideas for my stories and let loose with where the story wants to go. His openness and honesty gave me courage to write without judgement.
• Shaunta Grimes taught me how to put together a visual representation of my book. I had already done the notice boards of my story but the file is easier to take along to the couch or even outside when I'm writing.

I'm a champion for diversity and these writers couldn't be more different from each other. I've taken what works for me from each of them, and will share my process in the future.

Google

Don't underestimate what is right in front of you already. I love Google. I am in a long-term relationship with Google. From my browser (with all the saved bookmarks), backup drive (paid version), photos, and personal email address — it's all through Google. I even have premium YouTube because this girl cannot deal with ads. This means that my phones and laptops are synced at all times. I can access my work anytime from anywhere.

LanguageTool

Most writing software like Word and Google Sheets have a built-in spelling and grammar check. There's also a ton of free tools like Grammarly and LanguageTool, with options to upgrade. For a while, I used the free Grammarly Chrome extension, but I got to the point in my writing where the only corrections I needed were not part of the free option. I did the research, compared pricing, weighed up pros and cons, and LanguageTool came out tops. This tool is budget-friendly with all the bells and whistles. What I like best is that the suggestions include a description of what the problem is — “consider using a different word”, “this word has been repeated several times”, “the first word of these sentences start with I”, etc. It's practical help, that I'm now thinking about as I type, influencing me to write better.

Reedsy Blog

Reedsy is a platform that connects authors with vetted publishing professionals and offers free writing and book formatting tools. Their blog provides useful information for writers to successfully publish a book.

Of all the resources on the Hero's Journey, this blog post explains the story structure how I can understand it. It's broken down in multiple ways — a cool graphic, a headline summary, and a detailed explanation with relevant examples.

I am using the Hero's Journey story structure for my book Here Lies Vincent Jacobs. I can build suspense, execute all sorts of action, release the tension, and finally reveal the big secret. This works for me, but there are links to other story structures that you can explore.

Influences and Inspiration

It's no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with social media. But I will concede that there's a right way to use it and can be valuable when you find the right influences — mentors, if you will.

• I could have included Sun Yi in the Domestika section, but I've found far greater value from his Instagram feed and subscribing to his website. He's direct, cuts through the bullshit and gets right to what you need to hear to get out of your own way. He makes you think. I've also listened to a couple of episodes of his podcast. He assured me it's OK to be me — exactly as I am, ultimately what the point of my self-acceptance journey is.
• Lauren Currie is a phenomenal woman I also found through Domestika. She gave me courage to work in the open. She reminded me to focus on who I am doing this for, and why. Her Instagram showcases her many organisations across business and community, and her activism for women and under-represented people.
• My other influences require more than a bullet. I'll share these in separate posts honouring them individually.

Keep Learning

There's never an end to learning. Like the saying goes, “the more I learn, the less I know”. I'm always on the lookout for great tools and resources, so share! I'll share more as I continue on this writing journey.