Every year, November is a bit of a magical time for some writers. Through Nanowrimo they band together in an inclusive and encouraging community, they set lofty goals, and they make writing a priority. Words are written and both small and big successes are celebrated. Nanowrimo is a special time. I’ve participated in Nanowrimo for […]
Story structure is vital if we’re going to write strong novels that grab our readers’ attention and never lets it go. The midpoint of our stories often tests this structure. (Check out the earlier posts in the Story Structure series for a review of the hook, inciting incident, and key event.) The Midpoint Often called […]
I see you, Nano-ers! I see you prepping your stories and stockpiling coffee. And I’m right there with you counting down the days! With Nanowrimo in mind, today we’re looking at some of my favorite writing resources for writing a great first draft. Writing a First Draft To start with, I believe every first draft […]
Worldbuilding is when we as writers create the world that our story is set in. From the downtown corner of Market Square in summer to the far off reaches of the galaxy (and beyond!) there is no end to the settings we can create. So where do we even start? How do we know where […]
So you’ve finished the first draft of your story- Congratulations!! That is a very big deal. No matter what shape your story is in, I’m so proud of you! Getting those words down on a page and creating the start of your story is a huge accomplishment. Are you feeling excited? Proud? A bit exhausted […]
There’s something so exciting about writing a first draft. New things being created, new words being put down on the page, new character developments and ideas. In short, everything is new 🙂 That’s not to say the first draft isn’t without its own set of problems and trials! A huge amount of first drafts get […]