Novel Mentions – nikki diekemper

Winning Pitch

This year, it’s my goal to pitch and query my novel to literary agents. This is a skill I’m still developing, so I’ve been reflecting on my notes from previous writing workshops to help me craft the best kind. I thought I’d share some with you today. Back in 2020, one of the classes IContinue reading “Winning Pitch”

Tribute to Songs

Owed to the boat built in sand, believing for rain To the ones who touched and went their separate waysTo the one saying “Hello Darkness, my old friend.” And those dubbed UnforgivenTo the reminder to serve while in the waitingKnowing I just haven’t seen it yet.To little miss one big mess and never restAnd theContinue reading “Tribute to Songs”

Character Rescue

“Oh, come on, there’s gotta be something,” I let out a sigh and flip another page in my fifteenth notebook. “All this good writing and I can’t come up with an idea.” The next page is blank. End of the notebook. I toss it on the pile beside me and shuffle through the bookshelf toContinue reading “Character Rescue”

Character Dilemma

“I don’t see why we have to do this.” I’m straightening my notes as the lieutenant sits across from me. He folds his arms and crosses his legs and pointedly stares at the wall. I smile at him. As annoying as he can be, I love the sharp features I gave him. I’ve been puttingContinue reading “Character Dilemma”

Personal Writer’s Block

How many times have you find yourself staring at your computer screen or journal and you just can’t figure out what to put on the page? Maybe you have a deadline, but you’ve lost motivation. You find yourself scrolling through the internet instead of getting done the things you need to get done. That’s whereContinue reading “Personal Writer’s Block”

Good Enough

I think each and every one of us can recall a point in time where we thought we weren’t good enough. Not good enough to win the game, score that job, defend a cause, write a novel, or any dream out there. We’ve probably all said it or thought it at least once in ourContinue reading “Good Enough”

The Life of a Writer

Awesome! I have some free time! I’m going to pump out 30 pages! *Gets distracted by Facebook chime.**Ends up scrolling for ages.* Hm…There’s still time left. I can break out the pensReviewing old scenes will renew my deft. But what now that I’m at the end?Stare at the blank space at the bottom of theContinue reading “The Life of a Writer”

Breaking the News to Your Characters

So, how many of you writers out there like to view your characters as alive in their own right? You know they’re not real, but you still do exercises like having conversations with them to figure out what they like, how they grew up, or you even straight up ask them what they’re going toContinue reading “Breaking the News to Your Characters”

Writing Exercise: I remember…

A couple days ago, I was reading this webpost about advice from famous authors. I never got to finish it and I can’t find it back–you see, I was trying to read it and work with dogs at the same time and we all know that’s never successful. I ended up losing the article fromContinue reading “Writing Exercise: I remember…”

Character Interviews

Part of being a writer is crafting characters. It’s one of my favorite parts of story building. As a fiction fantasy writer, you can get away with most anything as long you can find a way to make it make sense. You could build a character who’s knowledgeable beyond their years. Or a character whoContinue reading “Character Interviews”