Alexa Whitewolf, Author at The Writer's Cookbook

Editing Fiction: When to DIY and When to Outsource

Alexa Whitewolf — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 05:00:00 +0000

‘Write drunk, edit sober.’ Powerful words from Ernest Hemingway, if I do say so myself. I’ll indulge in some wine or something when I write, mainly because it’s my relaxing time. But edits? Those are done stone-cold sober. Editing fiction is the process of taking your work, your carefully (or not so carefully) written baby […]

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Make the Most out of Your Writing Time with Planning (Not Plotting!)

Alexa Whitewolf — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 05:00:27 +0000

Planning can be a lot of things to a lot of people. Since my concussion, I’ve done more and more of it. I have to plan out my days so I don’t get overwhelmed, I have to plan out my meals, and I have to plan out my outings. Mainly because when I do go […]

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How to Sneak Marketing into Your Writing Schedule—and Keep Living Life While You Do!

Alexa Whitewolf — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 06:00:31 +0000

OK, so we’re well into 2019. We made it! Yay! Pat on the back. Cheers. The whole bit. We’re awesome. And with a new year came new resolutions, right? Like, maybe, throw some more time on marketing vs writing? Or, alongside writing? Maybeee sticking to a schedule? This is all non-judgmental, trust me. I’m the […]

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How Your Mental Health Can Affect Your Productivity Levels (And What to do About it)

Alexa Whitewolf — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 06:00:31 +0000

Mental health is always a hard topic. We think it’s getting easier, but I see it more as a one step forwards, two step back kind of thing. Recently I was involved in a work event surrounding mental health that opened my eyes even more—to things I knew of, and some I didn’t. We talked […]

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How to Research Your Book Without Breaking the Bank

Alexa Whitewolf — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 06:00:53 +0000

So you’ve always felt the bug of writing, but now you really, REALLY want to get it done. And you have the best idea. And you start writing, until you get to the point where you’re stuck. Either because you can’t really describe the Grand Canyon, or put yourself in your character’s depressed shoes, or […]

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Why I’ll Never Use IngramSpark Again

Alexa Whitewolf — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 05:00:35 +0000

Disclaimer: this is not to discourage anyone from using IngramSpark. It’s only a reflection of my own experience with them and why I decided not to publish my paperbacks with them. A bit of background IngramSpark is a company similar to CreateSpace, only not owned by Amazon. They, like Lulu and others, help you bring […]

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How to Stay Sane as an Indie Author

Alexa Whitewolf — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:00:04 +0000

In our quest for the next novel, next project to be finished, we tend to disregard our health. Even more so our mental health. Believe it or not, that’s important when writing.

Don’t think that because your writing happens at home, in an environment you choose, it’s less stressful on you as a human being.

For one, there’s the emotional aspect of certain scenes.

If you’ve ever been drained after writing a particular scene, you know what I’m talking about.

And second, we all juggle different things on top of writing.

I have a full time job, two dogs, and a husband.

Others have kids.

Or some juggle more than two jobs!

But the bottom line is: you cannot perform if you don’t take care of your mental health first.

So, how can you do that?

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How to Write Postnatal Depression

Alexa Whitewolf — Thu, 24 May 2018 05:00:07 +0000

The image one has of a woman becoming a mother is always maternal, sweet...like once she gives birth, everything falls into place.

Sadly, it’s also an image predominant in the rare romance novels where the author goes beyond the happily ever after and shows the characters living life to their fullest.
Reality is different, and raw, and sometimes painful. Not every woman gives birth and becomes the perfect mother. That is a myth, and it does more harm than good in the long run.
There is nothing wrong with holding a baby in your arms for the first time, and feeling a void. Of not immediately liking the little bundle of joy everyone says is the new reason for your being alive. Of thinking you’re a bad parent, and you need to stay away...
This is called postnatal or postpartum depression.

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