Every time I hear about a writer finishing a book, I want to jump up and down and go into a gospel choir of Hallelujahs! It’s a momentous accomplishment for two reasons. 1. Finishing your book is the most important thing any writer will ever accomplish. 2. Not many writers do it. Seriously. Depending on the source you […]
October 12, 2015 by 63 Comments Outlining Your Novel6 Tasks You’ll Love Yourself for Checking Off Your NaNo Pre-Writing List
When participating in National Novel Writing Month, what is the only thing more important than getting those 50,000 words written in November? How about making sure you’ve checked all the necessary to-dos off your NaNo pre-writing list in October? Today, I’m going to show you how to conquer six pre-writing tasks that can help you […]
February 22, 2015 by 78 Comments Outlining Your NovelDo You Know the 6 Must-Have Elements of a “Wow” Story Premise?
Story premise is the foundation of all good books. It’s the fundamental kernel of the beginning idea. But it’s more than that. If you can craft a solid story premise right from the beginning of your writing process, you will be able to capture all the concrete details necessary to bring your story to life. […]
October 19, 2014 by 109 Comments Outlining Your NovelStory Concept and Story Premise: Do You Know the Crucial Difference?
What’s up with story concept and story premise? Are they interchangeable words for the same idea–or are they separate tools with their own important jobs to fulfill? I know you guys picked Door #2–’cause you’re wicked smart like that. But it’s a fact: “story concept” and “story premise” are often used interchangeably, which just goes to […]
February 10, 2014 by 6 Comments Outlining Your NovelHow to Make the Right Decisions for Your Book
Today, I’m guest posting over on Write to Done, with the post How to Make the Right Decisions for Your Book. Here’s an excerpt: How can authors know which choices are right for their novels? When you first sit down at your desk and start typing words into the delicious white blank of your computer […]
August 18, 2013 by 27 Comments Characters6 Must-Know Tricks for Getting to Know Your Characters
Dynamic, realistic, relatable characters pull readers in, open their eyes, and steal their hearts. Many a poor plot has been forgiven thanks to its amazing characters. You probably don’t start writing until getting to know your characters a little bit. But how can you make sure these characters will also be adored by your readers? […]
February 24, 2013 by 57 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 12: Frequently Asked Questions
Once authors grasp Scene* structure, their whole approach to storytelling can become clearer and more refined. At first blush, it can be a subject that takes a while to fully grasp and, as a result, can spawn all kinds of questions. But all you clever Wordplayers seem to have caught on without so much as […]
November 21, 2012 by 29 Comments Outlining Your NovelPreparation Is Worth a Pound of Proofreading
One of the most dramatic lessons I learned when writing my portal fantasy Dreamlander was one so obvious I shouldn’t have had to learn it. And that was, in a nutshell, don’t skip the prep. Now, as someone who wrote a whole book on outlining and has a whole software program based on that book, you’d probably think outlining would come […]
June 24, 2012 by 73 Comments Writing LifeAre You Writing Your Novel Too Fast?
Are you writing your novel too fast? How fast should a novel be written? Is there some kind of guideline to which all authors should conform? Are faster writers better than slow writers—or vice versa? When it comes to my own writing, I admit I’m a tortoise. I can spend roughly a year outlining and […]
April 13, 2012 by 51 Comments Outlining Your NovelHow to Write a Novel in Two Sentences
All right, fine—you’ll need more than two sentences, most likely. But the title of this post does actually have some merit, as I am in the process of finishing my second novel using an approach I like to call “The Two Sentence Method.” There are already some spectacular methods out there for plotting and planning […]
