Writing – Page 2 – nikki diekemper

For Fun

The puzzlement in my brow keeps falling deeper and deeper I’m sure it’ll leave frown lines on my face. A bundle of words sit on the screen. Two paragraphs in the entire document that I had no idea would come out. “You look troubled.” The cool voice had a hint of a peaceful night toContinue reading “For Fun”

Words it Takes

Notebooks upon notebooksWords upon wordsSo many things writtenTo help a story be heard Two notebooks with ideasAnother with remindersThen there’s the several That have the story in their binders So many with scenes written out on the pagesTo be reviewed and editedThe start of the stages Let’s not forget All the loose papers,notecards, and listsContinue reading “Words it Takes”

Book Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

I listened to this book as an audiobook and I greatly enjoyed it. The idea of a prisoner who has no memory of who he has endless possibilities and I feel Catherine Fisher had a unique take on the prospect. She has a bunch of diverse characters within her story and I had a hardContinue reading “Book Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher”

Dear Writer

I know you feel stuck right now. I know you look at your manuscript and you pound your head against the desk. You think your writing sucks. You think the scenes don’t flow and the characters aren’t being utilized in the best way. You don’t know how to show off a new culture. You knowContinue reading “Dear Writer”

Money VS Dreams

Have you ever come across an opportunity that would be a great help in you pursuing your dreams, but it cost A LOT of money? It’s an exciting opportunity. You want to take part. You know you’ll learn a lot, but you look at the cost, and look at your bank account, and think aboutContinue reading “Money VS Dreams”

Believe in the Villain

I was laying in bed the other night, thinking of a new story idea and it got me wondering about heroes versus villains. If we all had a choice, we’d want to be the hero. I mean, we grow up used to it, right? Everyone wants to be the hero. The hero is liked. TheContinue reading “Believe in the Villain”

Keep Hope Alive

Back in 2021 I had the opportunity to interview Christian author Julie Lessman. She gave me a lot of good advice and I even shared it in a blog post here. After our meeting, she sent me an email full of good resources and advice. Along with it, she sent me an image from herContinue reading “Keep Hope Alive”

Guilty of Fraud

Ever feel like a fraud? Like you’re somewhere you don’t belong? “Oh, all these people are so much smarter than me. I don’t fit in with them.” Or “I don’t have the experience that they all do. How could I help in this situation?” Or maybe “I haven’t work on my stories in months. IContinue reading “Guilty of Fraud”

Notes from #TENNWW

Hey everyone! I have the great opportunity to attend the online Tennessee Writing Workshop this weekend. I’m learning a lot and even have the chance to pitch to a couple literary agents (fingers crossed). With everything I’ve learned, I wanted to share a few things. Author E.J. Wenstrom gave a great class about busting writer’sContinue reading “Notes from #TENNWW”

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”