Did you know Literature and Latte released version 3 of their acclaimed writing software Scrivener? Scrivener is famous for its rich functionality, but also its steep learning curve. If you’ve taken the time to learn an existing version of Scrivener, or are a newcomer looking to try it out yourself, making the move to version […]
October 30, 2017 by 45 Comments Writer's HelpThe Great Novel-Writing Checklist (Just in Time for NaNoWriMo!)
I adore lists. They bring order to the chaos of my brain and allow me to rest in the knowledge that even if I don’t remember everything I have to do, the list remembers [spoken in an epic Jeremy Irons bass]. This is why today I’m going to share you with you my ultimate novel-writing checklist—and […]
February 3, 2017 by 31 Comments Writer's Help5 Things I Learned When I Decided to Switch Genres
I was in the middle of mundane household chores when the idea for The Lost Girl of Astor Street struck: Veronica Mars meets Downton Abbey was my initial thought. Followed quickly by, But I’ve never written a mystery or a historical! There’s no way I could write that. The idea nipped at me all day long. As did the doubts. I’ve written […]
January 6, 2017 by 39 Comments Writer's HelpTop 10 Writing Posts of 2016
Did we really just wave goodbye to 2016 and enter that nebulous hinterland in which we frequently embarrass ourselves by putting the wrong year on our checks? Yep, looks like. 2016 was something of a landmark year for me. On a personal level, my life has changed in many ways I wasn’t expecting, and I […]
July 11, 2016 by 83 Comments Structuring Your Novel7 Reasons You Need Story Theory
Just as in fiction itself, the writer’s life is marked by several major turning points–perhaps the most important of which is discovering story theory. In the story of your writing life, the Hook, of course, is that moment when you find yourself entranced with your first story idea. Maybe you were three years old–as I […]
May 1, 2016 by 89 Comments Writer's Help6 Tips to Help You Finish Your Book
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 […]
July 17, 2015 by 36 Comments Writer's Help5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers
I’m a bestselling author you’ve never heard of, an invisible man. While ghostwriting, I’ve collaborated with New York Times bestsellers, concepting and writing stories that have reached audiences worldwide and topped sales charts. It’s been a unique gig, and some of my friends don’t understand why anyone would work in the shadows. But in a culture where […]
June 28, 2015 by 48 Comments Writer's Help3 Ways to Make Writing Your Novel Easier
Writing is hard. If you’re a writer, you don’t need me to tell you that. In the unlikely event that you’re not a writer, then all you have to do to be convinced that writing is hard is to take a quick sampling of writer humor: it’s pretty much all self-deprecating, masochistic, laugh-so-you-don’t-cry stuff. Yeah, you know what […]
March 18, 2015 by 34 Comments Writer's Help3 Myths Holding You Back From Your Best Writing
The odds are, if you publish your best writing, you want people to read your work. Seems like a reasonable assumption. I mean, if we don’t care if anyone’s reading our work, then we should stick to personal journals hidden under our pillows. You can hide your work if you want to, and if you […]
February 20, 2015 by 43 Comments Writer's Help3 Tips on How Not to Stink at Writing
Do you write as a hobby? Do you never have worries about how not to stink at writing? Do you belly up to the keyboard just to dip into your brain’s well of dopamine and enjoy the warm fuzzy buzz of creating something you can later read? You have zero ambitions for publication? You’ve burnt […]
