Instagram story viewer> @dmcieran> Posts

Dierdre Cieran

@dmcieran

81

followers

135

following

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Y'all I heard of a new way to think of writer's block and it unlocked all the thoughts I've had hanging around in the back of my mind.
I don't get writer's block, but I do experience creative hesitation. Maybe a new way of thinking about this age-old problem will help.

Yes, I added a click-bat-y title. Listen, my kids are middle-schoolers. Everything is about existence or non-existence. My oldest wrote a song called "To Exist Now" and when you listen to it, you're supposed to repeat the title in your head, because it has a cadence that fits the title.

Where would you be if writer's block didn't exist?

https://dmcieran.substack.com/p/writers-block-doesnt-exist?r=2o3gbq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

#amwriting #amquerying #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

5

2

8 days ago

My newest Substack post is Live! Read all about my year-long journey to query my first novel.

https://dmcieran.substack.com/p/writing-journey-my-first-querying?r=2o3gbq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

#amwriting #amquerying #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

8

0

23 days ago

Getting my Substack going again for the fall! Check it out!

https://dmcieran.substack.com/p/end-of-summer-update?r=2o3gbq

#amwriting #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

7

0

a month ago

Join me on my Substack where I check in on my writing goal for the year and share a bit of clarity I’ve found in my writing process.

https://open.substack.com/pub/dmcieran/p/mid-year-check-in?r=2o3gbq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Where are you at with your goals for the year?

#amwriting #amquerying #bookstagram #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

2

0

3 months ago

Blood Over Bright Haven. If you’re wondering how to tie together several societal issues in one action-packed novel, this book is a must read! Sciona has to fight to be the first female mage in a male-only system. And then she meets Thomil, who is Kwen, who is trying to fit into a world that would rather forget him and his people. Plus there’s blood and gore and destruction. Really loved this read!

Up Next: A Fate Inked in Blood
That title! 😍

#amwriting #amquerying #bookstagram #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

3

0

4 months ago

It feels so good to be getting back to the story of my heart!

How's your writing going?

#amwriting #amquerying #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

3

0

4 months ago

Just finished: Just Like Home

This was my first horror read 😱 (I know, I've really advised this here because I thought it would scare me too much. Me! Me? Yeah, we fixed that real quick.)

I was hooked on the prose from the first page. So much tension and memory infused in a walk from the driveway to the front door! Enjoyed this distributing, gripping read all the way through the end. I'll definitely check out more horror novels!

Up Next: Blood over Bright Haven

Okay, several things people have said have me wondering if this book will be a good comp for my epic fantasy. Can't wait to check it out!

What's on your shelf?

#amwriting #amquerying #bookstagram #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

2

1

4 months ago

It can be hard not to consider what to work on as a writer when there are some trends flying through the sky like rockets. But when you finally settle on a project to tackle, go ahead and ask yourself a couple of questions first. Why do I want to write this? What do I want to say? What was the spark that inspired me?

I never paid attention to the themes in my novel, and was pleasantly surprised when others found themes that I hadn’t thought of! But themes can be important to framing your characters’ experiences. And, if you know what you want to say going into a novel, you can write a tighter novel. And we all like tighter novels.

In addition, especially if you have a story to tell, if you’ve learned something to share, if you have a passion for cultured butter and need to get your thoughts out into the world, or a deep desire to show perseverance through hardship. Your novels will be richer for it if you just lean into your passions instead of focusing on what everyone wants you to write.

So, do a little of the work in advance. Ask yourself what you want to say, and go boldly toward saying it!

What are you working on and what are you trying to say?

#amwriting #amquerying #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

1

0

4 months ago

My substack post this week describes how I learned about internal plot on my writing Journey.

https://dmcieran.substack.com/p/my-writing-journey-internal-plot

#amwriting #amquerying #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

0

0

4 months ago

I've been making these pages all year and not sharing! Time to fix that.

Feb-Apr was a whirlwind of life, so my goals were much fewer and lower, and I disappeared for a bit.

Due to that, I pivoted from the project I was working on since late October and started re-vamping my very first completed novel, and the one that's been hanging around wanting to get written for far too many years. It's been a breath of fresh air!

I went through character backgrounds from April through the first half of May and started outlining and plotting the second half of May.

Now we're into June and summer and I may have been a bit ambitious with my time and commitments, but we'll see how things all fall into place!

I'm still here and I'm still writing stories and making art and getting crafty.

What's something that ignited your inspiration for the first half of the year?

#amwriting #amquerying #bookstagram #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

4

3

4 months ago

My most recent Substack post goes into the growth mindset and how it helped me level up my art practice. Three things I used to create something that wowed me and now has other people calling me 'talented.'

This mindset is how I approach my writing as well. Sometimes I get frustrated with how slow my process is, but when I stop and look at where I was when this writing re-awakening happened, I'm just as shocked at my progress. Wow. I did that.

What's something new you want to learn? How will you give yourself the grace to adopt the learners mindset?

https://open.substack.com/pub/dmcieran/p/art-journey-part-2?r=2o3gbq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

#amwriting #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist #artstudio #artgallery by @dmcieran

1

0

4 months ago

Happy #caturday!

I'm starting off my day writing with the #GWIC with my sweet Stratus in my lap.

How's your day going?

#amwriting #amquerying #bookstagram #fantasywriter #writingcommunity #fiction #authorartist by @dmcieran

1

0

5 months ago