Inspiring the Uninspired
Editing is such an important part of the novel writing process. And each chapter or scene needs to be treated with care, examined closely, and made to shine off the page. And to do so, there are some questions you need to ask yourself. Take a look... Is there a sense of place? There's nothing… Continue reading Questions to ask yourself while editing a chapter/scene
Writing a novel comes in stages, first drafts to seconds drafts to third drafts, and on it goes. The first draft is always a challenge, and often a mess. So if your first draft is fractured or all over the place, here's some tips to fix it. Create a timeline A timeline is a great way… Continue reading How to Fix a Fractured First Draft
Writing isn't easy. My current work in progress is being really stubborn. By that, I mean it's taking a long time to write, and constantly filling me with doubt. Recently, however, I've started making some progress. So I thought I'd share some of the things I've learned that are helping to keep me on track.… Continue reading How to Handle a Stubborn First Draft
This week, I've been sinking back to reality after my wedding and honeymoon. That first week back was never going to be easy what with work (I work in a doctor's surgery and things are pretty crazy right now!), catching up on uni work, and sinking back into day to day life. That has included… Continue reading Novel Writing: A little every day is enough
Sending your novel to an agent/publisher is a big decision. And as writers are often self-critical it can be hard to take the plunge. But if you are thinking of sending yours out, here are some things to consider first. It's finished (with editing!) It sounds silly, but it's not uncommon for people to send… Continue reading How to know when you’re ready to send your novel to an agent
There's no doubt that amazing things happen when you make writing a habit. But how do you get to that point? With all the things that can get in the way of writing, particularly when life is busy, it's not easy. Here's some tips to get you started. Write at the same time each day… Continue reading 5 ways to make writing a habit
Learning is important to all writers. And the exciting thing is that we learn all the time. Every word we write, every word we read, brings us more understanding and knowledge and skill. It is a game of practice and discovery, being a writer. I'm a uni student, and in studying English Literature and Creative… Continue reading What studying literature teaches us about writing novels
Writing a story is exciting, it's fun and it's full of exploration. But it's also hard, and it's not uncommon for writers to reach a point where they feel disconnected from their story. Perhaps it's a particularly bad case of writer's block, or you've simply wound up in a slump. Whatever it is,, it sucks.… Continue reading 6 things to do when you’re feeling disconnected from your story
Writing a book is a long and personal process. You spend huge lengths of time with your characters, discovering their deepest secrets and desires. So what happens when their story ends, and you take the leap into a new world, with a new cast. But this isn't easy. It can be hard to leave behind… Continue reading Getting to know a new cast of characters
Being a writer, published or otherwise, is amazing. Writers are world builders, character creators, storytellers, daydreamers! We live in a haze of ideas and inspiration and intrigue. But let's be honest, despite the perfect writing environment non-writers may think we live in, there are plenty of unglamorous times. That's right. It's not all tidy desks… Continue reading Unglamorous writing confessions
