Recently I did a post on my method of doing character profiles, and it was… kind of a lot. Or it might be for some people. I’m one of those writers that prefers to go into a new story knowing a lot about my characters, even if I’m pantsing absolutely everything else. But you might… Continue reading Character design, and how to make it up as you go
Well, hey there – it’s been a while! Due to life circumstances, I just took an extended and entirely unplanned hiatus from blogging and social media. I’m ready to start dipping a toe back in, and thought a good way to do that would be a couple posts on one of my favorite, favorite parts… Continue reading How to write a character profile that actually helps
Happy Preptober! It’s officially Nanowrimo Prep season, and I’ve got some fun stuff planned this month as we approach what I fondly think of as the writerly holiday season. This year is going to be a fun milestone for me: I’ll be writing the first draft of the final book in a series I’ve been… Continue reading How to write a sequel (without getting overwhelmed)
“I can’t apologize to you. I came to tell you the truth. That’s all.” -Sonya Kantor, Poster Girl Poster Girl is the best book I’ve read in a long, long time. I knew I’d enjoy it – I was a child of the dystopian YA lit boom in the late 2000s, and a massive fan… Continue reading Book Review: Poster Girl by Veronica Roth
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
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
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?
Welcome to the first Warmup Wednesday! Every Wednesday during Nanowrimo this year, I’ll be sharing a different writing exercise to help you get into the swing of noveling. This week, we’re doing one of my favorite warmups: plain dialogue. The beginning of a novel is all about characterization: establishing who your characters are, what they… Continue reading Warmup Wednesday: Let’s fix your dialogue
One of the most common things to hear from new writers seeking help with their work is, “My story doesn’t make sense.” Everybody has this problem at some point. Sometimes the concern rises from vague feedback. Other times, it’s a feeling you have – a strange, intuitive sense that something is just off. Sometimes the… Continue reading What to do when your story doesn’t make sense
