Writing a good novel demands a number of skills from an author. You need to have a strong writing voice. You have to be able to read people and get inside a person’s head. You should be able to let your characters provide commentary on life and the book’s themes, whether consciously or not. And … Read more
This is my third entry in my Cover to Cover series which follows a novel from inception to potential publication. It’s interesting to note since I started doing this, my novel has changed quite significantly. Most notable is that I completed a first draft last month. If you’ve ever completed a long first draft, then … Read more
I recently came to a part in my Work in Progress (WIP) when I said, “Huh, this doesn’t look like it’s going to be a standalone after all.” While I believe there are a lot of important decisions to make about your book (awesome characters, coherent plot, enough giant roach mutants, traditional vs. self-publishing), one … Read more
If you’re reading this, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is over and you have one of the following in your quivering, coffee-stained hands: A string of nonsensical words that closely resemble the ramblings of a mad centaur. 50,000 words that are mostly just alternations of “I hate this” or “Crap!” A pretty solid attempt at … Read more
Last time on Cover to Cover, I introduced this series of articles, which follows a novel from birth to potential publication. The previous entry was all about ideas. How to grow them, nurture them, and expand them. This time I’m going to show you how to take that idea and mold it into an actual … Read more
This article is by Steven M. Long. Everybody outlines. The second a writer imagines one scene following another, that writer is creating an outline, even if the outline is incomplete and only in their head. Referring to a novel writer as an “outliner” usually indicates someone who feels more comfortable with and sees the benefits … Read more
All good books start from somewhere. That inkling of an idea sparked by reading a great book, taking an afternoon walk, or even being walloped over the head by the muse. Time passes. Maybe months, maybe years. You see that idea grow into a story concept, the story concept become a rough outline, the outline … Read more
Whether you’ve just begun your novel or are in the midst of editing it, this exercise can help answer some important questions: How will readers like my characters? Have I done enough foreshadowing? Is there enough humor in the story? Does my conclusion do the novel justice? Of course, each writer will have many different … Read more
For me, editing was the worst part of writing, which is why I never did it. In an attempt to turn editing into a more manageable process, I have combined two of my favorite hobbies into one theory, which I call “Target Editing.” I compare editing to archery. Archery is a wonderful sport. It takes … Read more
Often writing advice comes at a price. You don’t always know what works and what doesn’t unless you actually put it into practice and get results. I’m here to say that every situation is different. So understand that as a writer, it’s up to you to find out what works. Below, I’ve presented 15 alternative … Read more