How to Make Our Story Feel Meaningful
Story is different from plot, but sometimes we can have lots of plot ideas, and we might not be sure if—or how—we can pull those together into something that feels like a story. Let’s get some tips…
Pin ItWriting Goals: Discovering What Works for Us
Several debates have come and gone on the publishing landscape. Plotters vs. pantsers, self-published vs. traditionally published, etc. I’ve always said that people should find whatever works for them, but what if we don’t know what that might be?
Pin ItSelf Publishing? Match Your Plans to Your Goals — Part One
My series about Indie Publishing Paths at Fiction University has highlighted some of the choices we have to make as self-published authors, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with so much uncertainty. So where do we start?
Pin ItWriting Goals: Are They Set Up for Us to Win?
Our best intentions don’t always work out. Even if our goals seem realistic and possible, what we think is reasonable or what we think we think we have control over…isn’t necessarily the case.
Pin ItPicking Editors: Tips for Finding a Developmental Editor
When trying to find the best editor for us, we might struggle more with developmental editors because the usual technique of asking for sample edits doesn’t work. So how should we find a developmental editor who’s a good match for us?
Pin ItWriting Coaches: What Are They and Do We Need One?
A question over at my guest post at Writers Helping Writers asked what a writing coach was, but there’s no definitive answer. On some level, a coach is anyone who gives advice, so before asking ourselves if we need or want a writing coach, we’d first have to dig into what we mean by the term.
Pin ItHow Does Our Writing Affect Readers?
Given world events, many people want an escape right now. Our writing—our stories—can give readers a breather, a chance to recover, an opportunity to regroup and build up strength or defenses. The crazier the world, the more the world needs our stories.
Pin ItBook Marketing: How to Get Feedback — Guest: Jefferson Smith
Marketing a book—including its cover, title, tagline, and blurb—to appeal to readers is a different skill set from writing a book, and getting feedback on those elements can be tricky. Today Jefferson Smith shares a resource for improving those critical aspects of our writing.
Pin ItMake Settings Come to Life with Sensory Details — Guest: Christina Delay
We’ve talked before about adding depth to our settings, but there’s another way to bring our settings to life and immersing readers in our story: layering unique details and sensory information. Today, Christina Delay to shows us how.
Pin ItOverwhelmed by a Huge Revision?
Many big-picture elements are related: A problem in one area of our story often weakens other areas. Luckily, if we understand those relationships, we’ll better see how fixing one aspect will strengthen the others, making our revisions easier and more efficient.
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