Craft Wisdom That Transformed My Fiction

There are many people you meet throughout your life who impact you in one way or another, and some might never know it. When it comes to writing communities, one I loved being part of was Virginia Romance Writers. Not only did they host fantastic meetings, but the sheer talent they brought in to speak to us was incredible. There are a few teachers who seriously shaped my writing and how I approach my craft.

Margie Lawson – Grab your highlighters and prepare to dig deep. Her editing methods helped me identify weak spots in my work and showed me how to elevate emotion through techniques like onomatopoeia, visceral responses, and deep POV. She taught me how to bring readers into the story so they feel every heartbeat of it.

Becca Syme – Author mindset is a whole world, and her lessons opened my eyes to how differently writers think and process information. Understanding my CliftonStrengths helped quiet the noise of comparison and reminded me to lean into my own strengths instead of chasing someone else’s path.

Donald Maass – I attended one of his workshops through VRW and was absolutely blown away. He talked about emotional depth and the true “why” behind every character choice, encouraging us to dig three levels deeper rather than settling for the first surface emotion. That single nugget of wisdom has stayed with me ever since.

Debra Dixon – Goal, Motivation, Conflict. GMC was my first craft workshop as a baby writer, and it gave me the foundation I still rely on today. Her clarity on character development and internal/external plot drivers remains a cornerstone of my writing process.

Like anything in life, no success happens alone. Many people contribute to who we become, whether in small moments or major turning points. Today, I simply wanted to highlight a few of the craft lessons that helped shape me into the writer I am.

It’s a privilege to keep growing as a writer. If you’re curious where this journey led me, you can explore my latest novel, A Dragon’s Queen.