These three questions are required to create a complex character. The rest, in broad strokes, is color.
Read moreThe Indie Author’s Guide to Creating Captivating Characters
If you're struggling to create dynamic, compelling characters that jump off the page and into readers' hearts, you're not alone.
Read moreHow to Write a Book Synopsis for Your Novel
You’ve finished drafting your novel, been through a round or two of edits, sent it to beta readers for feedback, maybe even hired a professional editor to really make it sing, and now you’re getting ready to pitch it to contests, literary agents, and/or publishers. Well, friend, you’re going to need a synopsis.
Read moreAdding Meaning to Your Fictional World
As you build your novel’s world, do you consider what certain symbols, colors, or images might mean to or about the characters and their society?
Read moreHow to Be Productive When You’re Writing from Home
When you write primarily from home, it can be difficult to prioritize your writing amid the hustle and bustle of everything else that happens there — laundry, dishes, noisy roommates, noisy spouses, high-maintenance pets, high-maintenance kiddos, and maybe even your day job. If these distractions — or any others — make it difficult for you to write from home effectively, try these five strategies to ramp up your productivity.
Read moreHow to Keep a Writer’s Notebook When You Don’t Know What to Write
This approach to keeping a writer’s notebook is WIP agnostic. You can use it if you’re working on a novel but prefer to keep it online or in some other system. And you can use it even — especially — if you don’t have a current work-in-progress, whether you’re taking a breather between projects or you’ve been in a creative rut for months.
Read moreSeeking Beta Readers for Guided Character Development Workbook
I’m searching for beta readers for my upcoming character development workbook!
Read more3 Writing Prompts for Character Development
I challenge you to approach your usual prompts and exercises as targeted efforts to make progress on your story. Starting with these three writing prompts designed to drive character development.
Read moreWriting In Layers: Why It’s Okay for Your First Draft to Be Full of Holes
Next time you hit a wall in your work in progress, just hop over it. Leave yourself a little placeholder for your next pass, and keep moving forward to get that story down on the page.
Read moreWhat to Do With Manuscript Feedback
You’ve sent your work off to critique partners, beta readers, or a developmental editor, and now you’re staring at a pile of feedback, wondering how, exactly, to approach it.
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