How to Break Out of a Creative Rut
We all fall into them from time to time. They can take a variety of forms:
Always exploring the same themes in our work
In writing, relying on the same phrases, words, or style
Being afraid to let the writing flow and discover what you want to say. All creative work is a balance of letting creativity flow, and then taming it into a shape for consumption by an audience. Fear of letting it get “out of control” can make your work rigid and uninspired.
NaNoWriMo Preptober: Final Preparation for the Big Push
If you’re planning to do NaNoWriMo, or any other big writing sprint, you can’t just think about the actual writing. Unless, that is, you have a bevy of servants at your beck and call, ready to bring you sustenance (and coffee!) on demand, clean your house, and guard your writing space like Cerberus.
NaNoWriMo Preptober: Nail Your Main Tentpole Scenes
This week, we’re going to tackle the basics of your story structure. I say basics because when I work with clients, this part alone can take weeks to nail down if we were to do all the pieces, including feedback. If you’re starting NaNoWriMo on November 1, you don’t have that kind of time. Hence, this quick-and-dirty introduction to figuring out the major story milestones you need to hit, which will at least give you some goalposts to work towards as you write your first 50K words.
NaNoWriMo Preptober: Nail Your Character and Their World
Beautiful language, exciting plots... those are great. But in the end, what we remember most from any story is the Characters. Especially your main protagonist, whose arc has to carry the story. We relate to them – or not. They intrigue us, inspire us, sometimes drive us crazy. The protagonist is the one we go on the journey with. Whether we like them or not, we feel drawn to either see them succeed, or we’re fascinated by how they get away with so much (and in some cases, we can’t wait to see their comeuppance).
NaNoWriMo Preptober: Questions to Consider Before Writing
Note: This month I’m reposting my annual NaNoWriMo Preptober series. Even if you’re not doing NaNoWriMo, it’s a great way to begin thinking about any novel you plan to write!
November is National Novel Writing Month – or NaNoWriMo. The premise is simple: write a novel in thirty days.
The Best Books I’ve Read from July-September 2023
These last three months have flown by! And I’ll admit, I haven’t been able to do as much reading this month since I’m in the middle of a huge move. It’s crazy how much stuff can accumulate even when you don’t think you have too much. One of the most painful things, of course, is going through the books to see which ones I really want to keep. Sigh.
That said, here are my picks for this quarter:
10 Frequent Problems with Scenes (and How to Fix Them)
Let’s face it, a LOT goes into creating great scenes. Every scene in your novel has to do a lot of work, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Below is a checklist of the most common issues I see with writers’ scenes, and some brief suggestions on how to fix them. Each of these could be a blog post in itself (and probably will be) but it gives you a place to start in evaluating any scenes of your that fall flat, drag, or cause confusion in your readers.
3 Things Every Scene Needs to Succeed
Novels (and narrative nonfiction) are made up of scenes. These mimic the larger story structure, with a beginning, middle, and end.
It starts with a question or problem.
11 Surprising Habits to Improve Your Writing Mindset
When we think of mindset we tend to think only about what’s inside – our mental models for developing resilience and a positive attitude.
That is only part of the story, however.
We can also support our brain health from the outside, which affects how we feel mentally.
Your Fall Back-to-School Writing Plan (and a new Writing Challenge!)
It’s the last weekend in August, which means kids are starting to head back to school (college students are already there, for the most part). It signals a physical and mental shift for most of us. A time to buckle down, create new goals, and get back to serious work.
How to Stay Motivated to Write in the Last Days of Summer
I can’t be the only one whose productivity has plummeted in these final days of August. This week, I thought I’d write a quick post for all of who need a little jump start to stay creative even as the summer runs out.
7 Reasons to Hire a Book Coach
Every so often I get people who ask: Why would I hire a book coach? What does a book coach do?
People often come to book coaching for one of these reasons:
How to Plan a Successful DIY Writing Retreat
It’s not too late for a summer writing retreat! I love writing retreats because they allow you time to really delve into a project. Too often in our daily lives, we have to squeeze writing in between all the other “life stuff.” A retreat, no matter how short, gives us the time and mental space for a deeper dive.
The Total Revision Mindset
What happens when you or your beta readers or coach read through your manuscript, and you realize there are significant flaws, that mean you basically need to start over from scratch? Cue sobbing emoji.
The Complete Guide to Using Beta Readers
Once you’ve made your revisions, you’re going to want to get some eyes on the manuscript. You need people whose opinion you can trust to give honest feedback about what is working and what isn’t, so you can make any final revisions before sending it off to agents or editors.
What is a beta read?
The 10 Point Checklist for Novel Revision
This week I have set aside as a writing retreat to finally finish this draft of the Middle Grade Novel That Never Ends.
Honestly, that’s how it’s beginning to feel. I’ve got to get it out to readers soon, because I’ve lost perspective. I’ve been hammering away at it too long. This is a natural part of the writing process, but it is starting to feel like a slog. I wrote in my journal this morning, “I am so done with this novel.” But... it needs a little more work before I can send it off. The beginning, especially, is a mess.
10 Easy Revision Hacks to Make Your Manuscript Shine
As I’m going through my manuscript, even though it’s just the last draft before I send it off to readers, I’m getting nit-picky about the little things. The thing is, the “little things” are the ones that really make the difference between a polished manuscript and one that misses the mark on a lot of levels.
Artist Date Ideas for Summer: Exercises and Adventures
Summer is a great time to get in some Artist Dates and do something different. If your Artist Dates, like mine, have veered more toward watching a movie on Netflix than anything really interesting, now’s the time to grab some new ideas.
The Best Books I’ve Read from April – June
We’re halfway through the year! I’ve read so many good books in the last three months (you can see my January-March reads here). It’s hard to pick just a few.
Who Is Your North Star?
I love me some Mel Robbins. I love listening to her podcast, because she gives down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice on how to live your best life.
Of course, the best advice in the world is no good if you don’t apply it, and a recent episode had me thinking: What is the North Star of my writing?
This concept comes from an exercise that Mel’s daughter did in her performing arts program at university. Your North Star is simply the person whose creative journey most inspires your own.