Sandra O'Donnell, Ph.D.

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Nov 28, 2021

Life’s Letters

A Story of Publishing Perseverance — In 2015, I contracted with a writer to polish her story and create a proposal for a memoir. The story had everything — a stash of forgotten letters, two love stories, travel, and a London backdrop. It was a modern-day fairytale, that ended in a surprise wedding. The author’s story…

Writing

4 min read

Writing

4 min read

Aug 17, 2021

When Lightning Strikes Twice, Choose Love

Advice from a Reluctant Death Doula — My niece, a Methodist minister, asked me a few months after my husband Kim passed away, leaving me a widow for the second time, if I wanted to join a grief group at her church. I considered it for a blip before deciding no. I’d been through grief before. I…

Mwc Death

7 min read

When Lightning Strikes Twice, Choose Love

Mwc Death

7 min read

Apr 15, 2019

Episode 5: Finding the Why of Your Story

A new podcast for writers — Whether you are writing literary fiction or historical fiction, police procedurals or YA, before readers will fully invest in your story — to get them past those crucial first fifteen pages — you need to show the reader WHY. This week, we discuss how you find the WHY of your…

Writing

5 min read

Episode 5: Finding the Why of Your Story

Writing

5 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Apr 12, 2019

Episode 4: Reading for Craft

A new podcast for writers — Reading for craft is one of the most powerful tools in your writing toolbox. In this episode, we talked about books on craft and reading exemplars in your genre to learn how the authors who wrote them created exceptional books. Jump over to Episode 4: Reading for Craft of the…

Writing

4 min read

Writing

4 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Apr 8, 2019

Episode 3: Genre and Conventions

A new podcast for writers — Every murder mystery has a dead body. Every thriller a villain. Every love story a meet cute. And every genre has elements that readers expect to find in the stories they choose to read. This week we’re talking about genre — what they are, why it’s important to find yours…

Genre

3 min read

Genre

3 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Mar 20, 2019

Episode 2: Defining Your Audience

A new podcast for writers — In this episode, we talk about audience and why it is important to define your audience and set goals for your book before you begin writing. Listen here Or, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes Google Play Spotify Stitcher To find out all the ways we can help you…

Podcast

1 min read

Podcast

1 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Mar 7, 2019

Episode 1: Where Do Story Ideas Come From?

A new podcast for writers — In this episode, we discuss where story ideas come from. Well look at where Liane Moriarty got the idea for The Husband’s Secret and We’ll talk about how he came up with the idea for Powder House. We’ll discuss how to know if the idea you have can sustain a…

Writing

1 min read

Episode 1: Where Do Story Ideas Come From?

Writing

1 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Jul 17, 2018

Point of View is About the Reader

Or what does the reader need to know and when do they need to know it to keep them reading — Deciding who is telling your story and the point of view of that character are critical decision points for your story. As the writer, you determine how close the reader needs to be to the main characters. Do we need to be inside a character’s head? Or, would the reader…

Writing

7 min read

Writing

7 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Jul 6, 2018

Establishing Characters in Your Story

Tying the who to the why to keep readers reading — At the risk of extending the metaphor from the last post a bit too far, think about what it is like to sit at dinner next to someone who offers very little in the way of meaningful conversation. When we encounter someone who answers a question with one or two-word…

Writing

5 min read

Writing

5 min read

Published in Your First Fifteen Pages

·Jun 29, 2018

Introducing the Characters in Your Story

Who should you invite to the first fifteen pages party? — Have you ever been to a party with a friend who insists you spend the entire evening meeting one person after another? “Oh, there’s John, you have to meet him,” she says, only pull you away after a minute or two to meet Alicia, and a minute later Brent, and…

Creativity

5 min read

Introducing the Characters in Your Story

Creativity

5 min read