M.L. Frazier - Author, Website Owner, Blogger

We all look for new ways to hone our skills.  Googling this or that, light (or heavy) reading, asking advice in Facebook groups or Reddit etc.  What about when you get some bad advice? Here is a list of advice that I've been given over the last few months about writing that's proven itself to be, well, just wrong. 1st piece of Bad Advice:  You don't need an editor as long as you have spell check and Grammarly.  Just read it, if it makes sense to you it should be fine.   My Intuition: NO!  Someone besides yourself MUST read your work!  Period.  Don't short change yourself in the end.  You are not a perfect reader or writer, you make mistakes.  Plus 4 eyes (at least) are better than just two.  Think about this carefully!  You've been writing for months, then reading and re-reading the same material for MONTHS...  Of course it will make sense TO YOU.  Get some help from someone... anyone. (Preferably someone ...

He reached down and took the stone for himself. vs. The wrinkled old creature stretched out his decrepit arm to grasp the stone from the cold dead hand of Prentos.  "You will not have control over the source of my power, even in death," he delighted as he pulled the stone close. Who do you picture in these two scenario's?  The first, someone is picking up a stone.  Other than that, there is nothing else to tell you... well, anything.  Writing descriptively is so important on so many levels, you want your audience to feel as they read.  The first sentence has no feeling and adds nor leaves anything to the imagination.   Someone reached down and picked something up.  The second sentence says the same as the first, someone picked something up.  Though t he difference between the two is tremendous.   Let's break down the second sentence. Who is that someone that picked something up? We don't know.  That creates m...

So much to do, so little time!   About writers block. When writing you can get stuck on the same passage in the same chapter for a long time!  What do you do when this happens?  I think I've figured out the key to curing the funk, if you will.  Humor me here? First, let's look at a few horrible ideas that are commonly suggested.   1.   Make up an imaginary friend & curse like a sailor. *Actual advice from a reputable source* How people come up with these anecdotes I'll never know, but talking to yourself?  Making up an imaginary friend?  Although attempts at stretching your imagination are apparent here, I'd personally advise against this.  Psychology today will probably tell you, sure, there's nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend as an adult.  But when you find yourself on the couch, I guarantee you, the doctor sitting behind you, listening and writing diagnosis, won't agree.   My Answer:...

Couple of things today.   1.  Inspiration - I've found another blog I'm interested in and it's all about writing e-books and publishing them on Amazon.    Successful Black Sci Fi and Fantasy writers - My goal is to become part of this very short list   J.A. Konrath's Blog - essential for encouragement, tips and a good read.   Amanda Hocking - story on how she got her start Another list I'd like to be on, but I need to read some of these too. :-)  *Side note* There's something missing in black authorship.  I don't mind looking to other cultures to see the type of fantasy I want to read, but I'd like to ride the coat tails of an author who's broken the mold with a "Lord of the Rings" type fantasy novel.  Not being weird, just saying.  Our books, I'm finding, are (seems like) mostly romantic novels or how to keep our boys out of prison or how we overcame a life of crime.  Not saying these are bad by any means, but as...

Ahhhh.  The infamous first post.  No idea what to say or if anyone will ever read my blog.  They said it was a good idea to blog, so here I am.  I blogged a little in college and no one paid any attention, which is a shame because I was really ambitious back then.  I really think I should have done some advertising or something back then.  Maybe it would have done some good.   Well, I'm MUCH older now and I do a lot for work... I run a website Buttas Body Bar , where I peddle all the girlie stuff I love.  Sunglasses, hair, makeup etc.   I've written a couple of books:   Memoirs of a New Age Feral Child simply about my life, the foster care system, how I dealt with homelessness as a teen etc.   The Black Woman's Guide to Red Flags in Relationships . This I did out of sheer boredom in between classes at Alabama A&M University.  I don't even think I edited this book.  Just hit publish.  LOL!...