I’ve wanted to do a post for a while about my outlining method, but I keep running into a problem. Outlining is a squishy process for me, and it changes basically every time I write a book. Every set of ideas I’ve ever come up with needs something different in the planning process in order… Continue reading How to outline a novel, however you want
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)
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!
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
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
