Vanessa Thurgood author logo

Category: Self-improvement

  • How to Get Your Book Ideas Out of Your Head…

    Mind mapping is one of an author’s most valuable tools when planning a novel. It allows you to get every single idea that’s been floating around in your head out onto paper where you can see it with your physical eyes.

  • digital water color painting of a girl writing on paper

    When you can’t afford therapy, start writing

    When I very first set out to write my first novel, I’ll be there first to admit that I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know what story structure was and why I should even care about it. All I knew was that I had words on my mind that wouldn’t go…

  • Business Boutique Book Review

    Now, before you get up in arms about this not being a fantasy book, I’m going to state that I read and like to share a wide variety of books. I love to exercise my creative side most of the time, but I also like to balance my reading by picking up at least one…

  • illuminated qoute board

    The Power of Words

    As an author, I find myself surrounded by words. I write new words in my rough drafts. I tweak those words as I edit. As I walk throughout my day, I narrate to myself using words to describe what I see and what I feel. And that internal dialogue translates into how I view the…

  • Book Review: Crush Your Kryptonite

    Whenever you think of Superman, it’s hard not to also imagine the little green rock that zapped the hero’s power. After reading this self-help book by Nate Hambrick, I’m starting to wonder if little specs of green dust are floating around me, stealing my power to own my life because I refuse to clean them…

  • What’s that ONE thing…?

    I hope this post finds you warm, curled up in front of a fire with an excellent book in hand, and possibly some hot cocoa nearby. That is definitely where I want to be as we have a field of snow outside my windows at the moment.  As you sit there in your comfy spot,…