It’s the last Warmup Wednesday of Nanowrimo 2022! As we crawl to the finish line, there isn’t a whole lot left to warm up for, and you probably have the methods that get you into the groove of your first draft pretty much down by now. So I want to use today to focus on… Continue reading Warmup Wednesday: Get ready for the Now What? Months!
Novels end. It’s a sad fact of life. And an even sadder fact is that writing the ending of a novel can often be the hardest part. You’ve built such a big world over the course of the last 50,000 words – it’s time to show your readers the door, but how can you possibly… Continue reading Story Structure Sunday: How to end a novel
Welcome back to Stupid Advice Saturday! In this final week of Nanowrimo, we’re going to eviscerate a piece of purported wisdom you’ve had crammed down your throat a lot lately, and that is to write every day. Bold words from someone who has spent the last 25 days encouraging you to write 1,667 words per… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: Should you really write every day?
Oh, Wikipedia. My best friend, my darling… my downfall. How many writing sessions have I supposedly “started” by saying I need to google “just one thing” first, and twelve Wikipedia articles later, I’m still telling myself this is fruitful, writerly productivity happening even though not a single word has appeared on the page? But sadly,… Continue reading Warmup Wednesday: the Wikipedia method of worldbuilding
We are now more than halfway through National Novel Writing Month, which means you’re probably starting to think about the climax of your novel. This can feel like a very high-pressure part of your story. Fortunately, it’s also widely considered to be the fun part. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of bringing… Continue reading Story Structure Sunday: How to write the climax of a novel
Welcome to Stupid Advice Saturday! Last week we talked about how “Write what you know” is often badly misinterpreted, and taken to an unhealthy extreme. This week, we’ve got another unfortunate directive that often gets the same treatment: show, don’t tell. Like “Write what you know,” this isn’t bad advice until you take into account… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: “Show, don’t tell”
Happy day 16 of Nanowrimo! We’re officially more than halfway through the month, which means this is a good time to sit back for a moment and take stock of your novel so far. If you’re on track, you’ve written about 25,000 words, and you are probably either at or approaching the midpoint of your… Continue reading Warmup Wednesday: Outlining a novel, for people who hate outlines
If you’re struggling with Nanowrimo right now, you’re not alone. This phenomenon goes by many names – the 30k blues, the saggy middle – and is one of the most common challenges writers face during Nanowrimo. It’s characterized by a profound loss of momentum during the third week of the month. It’s often accompanied by… Continue reading Story Structure Sunday: What to do about the 30k blues
It’s Stupid Advice Saturday! Last week we talked about how said is, happily, not dead. This week’s victim: “Write what you know.” On the face of it, this is actually not bad advice. We all have unique experiences in this world – unique perspectives and stories of our own that need telling. We should write… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: “Write what you know”
“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” -Coco Chanel Aside from being a thorn in the side of everyone trying to rock a maximalist aesthetic for the better part of the last century, this is actually a pretty good piece of writing advice. At least, it is for… Continue reading Warmup Wednesday: Do you really need all that stuff in your novel?