Do you ever write a draft and then look back at it and realize that you did not in fact write a draft – you wrote two thirds of a draft? Are your manuscripts bloated with comments and notes to self that say things like “you forgot to foreshadow this” or “insert that one scene… Continue reading Underwriting vs. Overwriting: How to make it through a novel when your brain only wants to write half
Happy new year! And happy New Year’s resolution season to those who celebrate. I, for one, do not. But this time of year, many in the writing world are taking this opportunity to set goals related to their craft, whether it’s to get published this year, read 50 books, get through the revision process, or… Continue reading Goal setting for people who hate goals
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!
I was perusing the Nanowrimo forums the other day and I stumbled across something absolutely magical. It’s a thread called “Find a Beta Reader, Become a Beta Reader” (it’s under the Novel Draft Aftercare and Critiques & Feedback categories if you’re looking for it). On it, users are posting calls for beta readers, as well… Continue reading Writer, you need an alpha reader
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
Editing sucks. I’m in the middle of it right now, and I can tell you, 80,000 words looked a whole lot smaller before it was already on the page. And how do you even know what needs to change? It’s your baby – you think it’s perfect. And on top of everything, editing is boring.… Continue reading Why you should stop editing and start rewriting
