Bethany Henry: Writing & Wellness

I’m still working through Julia Cameron’s excellent book The Artist’s Way and have gathered together a few of my favorite quotes and thoughts to share.  Now I’ll admit I don’t do every exercise in the book or work through it as consistently as it was probably intended. And you know what? That’s okay! If I waited until I “had enough time” to do this properly, I would probably never read it. I’m reading it through at my own pace and taking what I can from it and it’s been good for me. Here are some highlights from the first half of the book. Enjoy! 🙂 The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron “Progress, not perfection, is what we are asking of ourselves.” “Leap and the net will appear.” “It’s impossible to get better and look good at the same time.” “Do not let your self doubt turn into self sabotage.” “Setting skepticism aside, even briefly, can make for very interesting explorations.”

This week I’m thrilled to be a guest over at The Novel Smithy where I’m talking about  writing non-romantic relationships in our stories . I think it’s super important to recognize that romance isn’t a requirement for stories and that there are many different forms that love and life can take. So hop on over to  The Novel Smithy  and check out my post! Happy reading and writing to you! 🙂 Originally published June 24, 2022 on Bethany-Henry. com.

Today I am thrilled to have Lewis Jorstad here to share with us about foreshadowing in our stories! Lewis is an author, editor, and the founder of  The Novel Smithy , which is chock full off excellent resources for writers. You should check it out! But first: foreshadowing. Take it away, Lewis! Fantastic Foreshadowing One of the best parts of being a writer is setting up interesting surprises throughout our novels. Not only are these surprises fun for us (who doesn’t love dangling a carrot for others to follow), but they’re also a blast for our readers. A great surprise completely shifts a reader’s understanding of our stories, creating a lasting impression that will stick with them long after our books reaches its end. However, on their own, surprises aren’t always enough. To reliably trigger these intense emotions, you want readers to have some sense that your big reveal is coming. By planting hints and clues throughout your novel, you give perceptive readers the satisfaction of ...

Stories are important. Art is vital even in- especially in- difficult times. It is sustaining to our souls, brings joy and connection, leads the way, and gives hope. Books can provide new ways of seeing. Libraries can be a home and safe haven to all. Fantasy can show truth. Art can offer rest, peace, inspiration, and the knowledge that we are not alone. No matter where you’re at today, here’s a bit of creativity beauty and joy for you <3 Originally published May 6, 2022 on Bethany-Henry. com.

Today we’re talking about including diversity in our writing! Which is a huge (and hugely important) topic so be on the lookout to linked resources for further reading along the way. We’ll be talking about why including diverse characters in our writing is important, why it may be hard, some common pitfalls, and 5 steps to help along the way. There could probably be a hundred steps but for today we’ll focus on 5 🙂 There are many types of diversity, including (but not limited to) : race, class, culture, religion, disability, age, body type, sex and gender, and sexual orientation. We’ll touch on many of these but please know these are all important even if not explicitly mentioned. And (as always!) if you feel like I’ve left something out or you have something to add, please share in the comments. A bit about me: I’m not particularly diverse myself- I’m a white, straight, middle class girl from New England. There are many other voices who have more experience on this issue than myself a...

Certain stories are passed down from generation to generation: they are read to children at bedtime, assigned to classrooms, and selected at book clubs. These stories become favorites, cultural touchstones, and classics for various reasons. Maybe it’s the characters, the scenery, the groundbreaking ideology, or the plot. Something resonates with the readers and makes the story powerful. And not only do these stories get read and reread, but they are also retold! Retellings of these classic stories is a giant genre despite taking a hundred different forms. These retellings can be fun, powerful, and  tricky . Today we’re going to look at how to we can write these stories well. Why Retellings Are Fun I love retellings of classic stories, particularly Shakespearian though I’ve enjoyed a few Austin adaptions recently as well. And of course fairy tales are always fun. Okay, okay, so I love them all 🙂 And I’m not the only one who has a soft spot for retellings! There are several reasons ...