Profile avatar
michellebark.bsky.social
Senior #editor at DarlingAxe.com. Award-winning #author, Ironman #triathlete. michellebarker.ca
294 posts 1,805 followers 3,318 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 23 Comments 27

#Win a Story Skeleton: The Classics #ebook writershelpingwriters.net/2025/05/read... @michellebark.bsky.social #giveaway #writingcommunity

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

Writers who are interested in story structure, check out my most recent blog post with Writers Helping Writers: writershelpingwriters.net/2025/05/read... Includes a giveaway for our book, Story Skeleton: The Classics #WritingCommunity #BookSky

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

Great piece on why it's not enough to rely on beta readers for your novel. #WritingCommunity writersinthestormblog.com/2025/05/are-...

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

Very excited to have a piece in today's @theglobeandmail.com all about the classics. #BookSky #WritingCommunity www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-p...

submitted 44 days ago • 0 comments

BMO Marathon is done! What a day. Here is my race report for anyone who's interested: michellebarker.ca/bmo-marathon... #BMOMarathon #Vancouver #running

submitted 51 days ago • 1 comment

#WritingQ What is your favorite genre to read? #WritingCommunity

submitted 61 days ago • 6 comments

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” ― W. Somerset Maugham So true. And they change from one project to the next. #WritingCommunity

submitted 61 days ago • 3 comments

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ― Stephen King #WritingQ Agreed? I find it equal parts scary and exciting to start a new novel. Somehow, every time I'm fooled that "this one will be easy." Ha. #WritingCommunity

submitted 62 days ago • 1 comment

Spots are disappearing quickly! If you're interested, don't delay! #WritingCommunity

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

My amazing colleague is coming out with a novel! Can't wait to read it! #WritingCommunity #BookSky

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Agree? Agree slightly? Agree wholeheartedly? 😅 #WritingQ

submitted 63 days ago • 4 comments

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ― Ray Bradbury Sounds like good advice for our present times 😅 #WritingCommunity

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

Fans of noir, check out @septimusbrown.com's deconstruction of The Maltese Falcon on this blog post: darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/t...

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

New blog post is up that deconstructs The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for our #mystery skeleton series. #WritingCommunity darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/n...

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

In today's big news: the Darling Axe's annual writing retreat is now open for registration! Hope to see you there! #WritingCommunity darlingaxe.com/pages/author...

submitted 64 days ago • 0 comments

Anyone else notice how when the going gets tough for Emma Bovary, she basically presses "Add to Cart"?😅 Some things never change. #BookSky #WritingCommunity darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/m...

submitted 64 days ago • 0 comments

Just 300 words/day, every day, for one year = a 109,500 word novel. "I don't have time" sounds true, but is it? I've been noticing lately how much time I spend on my phone. I have time. #WritingCommunity

submitted 64 days ago • 0 comments

Today's #WritingQ: Is there a bias in readers against first-person narration in adult fiction? I have heard this expressed by some readers and wonder if it's widespread or simply a subjective opinion.

submitted 65 days ago • 6 comments

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” ― Anton Chekhov If there are any secrets to writing, I believe this is one of them. #WritingCommunity

submitted 66 days ago • 0 comments

Someone out there, convince me that The Big Sleep is a good book. I'm not seeing it. #WritingCommunity #BookSky

submitted 67 days ago • 1 comment

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” ― Robert Frost So, #WritingQ, how does this quote impact how you feel about outlining? Curious. #WritingCommunity

submitted 67 days ago • 1 comment

Overused openings in a novel: the weather. Waking up. A fight scene. Dialogue without context. #Writers please add to the list. What have you encountered in an opening sentence one too many times? #WritingCommunity

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.” ― Saul Bellow Ha. Most of what I write in the middle of the night seems brilliant at the time but makes no sense in daylight. Writers: agree or disagree? #WritingQ

submitted 68 days ago • 3 comments