WRITING
7 Ways to Fix a Messy Manuscript, Writer’s Digest | Tweet
The first draft of my YA novel BLANK was a complete disaster. I had taken a random approach to writing it, jotting down whatever I could between diaper changes and other distractions. I tried not to concern myself with structure or plot, thinking I would fix all that “later.” When “later” became hundreds of pages that somewhat resembled a novel, I knew the task ahead of me was not for the faint-hearted. I experimented with many approaches to get BLANK ready for submission (and eventual publication), and survived, only slightly traumatized, to share these tips for repairing even the most chaotic of first drafts.
How to Write Funny Dialogue, Helping Writers Become Authors | Tweet
This week’s video shows you the two important (but often overlooked) ingredients in figuring out how to write funny dialogue your readers will love.
11 Things You Need to Know When Writing a Memoir, Writer’s Digest | Tweet
Grandpa Joe died back in 1992 but his memoir was most recently included in a memory book, lovingly made by his descendents for a family reunion in 2013. We all loved re-reading it. So, here is what you need to know to get started on yours.
- Becoming your POV Character, Writers in the Storm | Tweet
One of the most common writing challenges is avoiding point-of-view errors. It doesn’t seem to matter where we are along the writing path—from newbie to multi-published—point-of-view errors crop up like many-headed hydra. Just when we think we’ve got them all, there’s another head coming around to bite us from behind.
- Emotional Wound Entry: A Home Invasion, Writers Helping Writers | Tweet
When you’re writing a character, it’s important to know why she is the way she is. Knowing her backstory is important to achieving this end, and one of the most impactful pieces of a character’s backstory is her emotional wound.
Writing with Emotion by Laura Drake, Romance University | Tweet
Have you ever read a character’s emotion that is so real — said in a way that you’ve never read before? One that makes you think — That’s just what it feels like!
Character Development: The Interaction Chart, Write on Sisters | Tweet
How To Make a Character Interaction Chart
6 Steps to Create a Fantastic Narrative Voice, Helping Writers Becomes Authors | Tweet
You hear it all the time: readers’ time is precious, and they’re not going to waste it on books that aren’t da bomb. I certainly feel that way about my own reading choices. What’s my main criterion for instantly recognizing when a book isn’t going to be worth my time as a reader? Voice.
Revision Mindsets: Artist, Story or Audience, Fiction Notes | Tweet
Recently, I’ve been trying to reconcile the different ways talk about revision and understand the differences. It seems to me that there are several distinct differences, each with its own strengths.
How To Spot, Fix and Eliminate Passive Voice In Everything You Write, Men with Pens | Tweet
One of the keys to holding a reader’s interest from beginning to end is mastering the skill of writing in the “active voice”. It isn’t that difficult, actually – you do it all the time – but it’s very easy to make the mistake of slipping into passive voice throughout your work. Passive voice, left unchecked, slaughters reader interest more efficiently than a glaring typo.
Pantsing the Plotter, Writer Unboxed | Tweet
You used the term, “pantsing the plotter” in one of your WU comments. I loved the image of the unsuspecting Plotter losing his pants at the hands of the mischievous Pantser. But as a Plotter myself, I’m not jazzed about getting pantsed. Will you explain this phrase and share how that process unfolds as you write a novel?
The Secret Ingredient for POV Magic—Capture Your Reader & Never Let Go, Kristen Lamb’s Blog | Tweet
Why POV is vital for your story is this is how you are going to slip your reader ever so subtly into the skin of your characters. Get your readers so comfortable they never want to leave. When we make POV errors? It shatters the fictive dream. That is why getting really good at POV is vital. We must maintain the magic. Here’s the secret that a lot of writers don’t realize about POV.
- The Leap In The Dark — 3 Ways To Read As A Writer, Writers Write | Tweet
Our love of storytelling comes from reading. Under the covers at night. On trains and planes and buses. During lazy Sunday afternoons or on holidays. Books become your best friends.
Related books:
- How to write dazzling dialogue
- Writing success: Your book from start to finish to publication
- Outlining your novel
- Writing deep point of view
- The art of memoir
- Reading like a Writer
- Rock your revisions
SCREENWRITING
MEET THE READER: Components of Screen Storytelling – The Protagonist, Script Mag | Tweet
A few months back I wrote a column that laid out the essential elements of screen story structure. The column was well received and a number of readers asked me to do the same for the other vital components of screen storytelling. That seemed like a good idea, so I thought I would follow up by laying out the essential elements of the most important component of a film narrative following its structure: the Protagonist.
SCRIPT ANGEL: Why Intensive Writing Is Vital, Script Mag | Tweet
The defining feature of those writers that make the leap from hobbyist to represented writer earning their living from their passion is that their approach to screenwriting is intensive – they simply write more and write more often.
- What to do when you feel out of touch with your creative energy, Go Into The Story | Tweet
How to get through it and recapture one’s creative energy?
- A different approach to “theme”, Go Into The Story | Tweet
What does theme mean? How should we understand it? How can we use it in our writing?
- Three Things About Screenplay Structure, Go Into The Story | Tweet
Related books:
- Super Structure: The key to unleashing the power of story
- Screenplay: The foundations of screenwriting
- Essentials of screenwriting
- Screenwriting: The sequence approach
- 33 Ways to sell your screenplay
SELF-PUBLISHING
How Does Giving Away Kindle Free Ebooks Sell Ebooks?, Just Publishing Advice | Tweet
Kindle free ebooks sell ebooks because they help sales ranking.
Can You Promote a Book without Making Yourself Miserable?, Jane Friedman | Tweet
How do you promote a book well without bringing misery on yourself? Here are a few ideas that I discuss in my book Write without Crushing Your Soul.
Four Easy Things You Can Do If You Don’t Want to Market Your Book, Author Marketing Experts | Tweet
Marketing isn’t easy especially if you still have a full time job and want to focus on your next book. The challenge here is that if you don’t market, no one will know about your book.
Like It Or Not, Amazon KDP Select Does Work, Just Publishing Advice | Tweet
Amazon KDP Select has it lovers and haters, but…
How to use your email list to get more traffic to your site, Creativindie | Tweet
I’ve never liked emailing my blog posts to my email lists. I figure they signed up for free stuff, not to be updated with every post. But I just realized that’s a huge mistake.
- 11 Reasons Why I Won’t Be Returning To Your Blog, Writers Write | Tweet
I’ve put together a list of the 11 reasons why I never return to a blog.
Related books:
- Self Publishing: My rules to staying alive and making money
- How I sold 80,000 books
- Write. Publish. Repeat: The no-luck-required guide to self-publishing success
- Createspace & Kindle Self Publishing Masterclass
- The Self-Publishing Road Map