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3 Reasons You Want to Work with a Book Coach
I see a lot of posts in online writing groups asking about book coaches and wondering if they might benefit from working with one, and inevitably several other writers chime in to say that they don’t need to work with a book coach and doing so is a waste of resources. And while it’s absolutely true that no writer needs a book coach, it’s also true that working with one can be beneficial and helpful.
3 Reasons You Need to Celebrate Your First Draft
Writing a novel can be a long process that takes an incredible amount of energy, motivation, and time. It can sometimes feel like reaching the final “the end” will never get here, that we’ll be stuck in revision mode forever. Because of this, it can feel a little anticlimactic to celebrate reaching the end of a first draft. If we know anything about the writing process, we know there’s a mountain of work still ahead of us. But finishing a first draft is a huge accomplishment, and no matter what still awaits us, it’s so important to take a moment and celebrate.
How to Write a Novel With a Full-Time Job
According to a recent survey, 81% of those surveyed said they want to write a book someday. That’s a lot of people who dream of writing a book! But the reality is many of those who want to write a book never start, and even fewer ever finish a manuscript. That’s not because they’re lazy—most likely, it comes down to the realities of life. We need money to live, and writing a novel is not financially lucrative.
Why Filter Words Hurt Your Writing
Overusing filter words is one of the most common issues I find when completing developmental edits. The good news is, once you know how to recognize filter words in your own writing, they’re generally a pretty simple fix. But if you don’t know what filter words are or how to identify them in your writing, they can have a rather big negative effect on your manuscript.
Why You Need a Writing Community
One of the first suggestions I give anyone who says they want to write a book is to find a community of writers to surround themselves with and who they can feel supported by. Why? Because writing, by nature, can be a very isolating, lonely endeavor if you allow it to be. But if we write in solitude, never connecting with other writers or seeking help or critique or guidance, we impede our ability to improve as writers.
Why I Decided to Indie Publish My Novel
If you follow me on social media, you may have seen a little while back that I officially decided to become an indie author and am releasing my debut women’s fiction novel early next year! This was a huge decision for me, and one that took a long time to make. Even though I’d been considering this option for a while, it was one that came with a lot of practical and emotional considerations, and I wanted to be certain before taking the leap.
Just Because You Haven’t Yet, Doesn’t Mean You Can’t
Writers, it’s October 26th. Which means NaNoWriMo is just around the corner! This realization may have you completely pumped and enthused, or it may be striking some terror in your soul. Particularly if you’ve tried NaNo before and didn’t finish. So, this post is for any and all writers attempting NaNo, but it’s particularly for those of you who tried NaNo once and might be terrified to try again. And beyond NaNo, it’s for anyone who may have tried to write a story once or many times but didn’t finish.
3 Steps for NaNoWriMo Success
November is creeping up on us, and if you’re thinking about participating in NaNoWriMo this year, you might be wondering how you can possibly write an entire 50,000 words in just one month. The answer? Preparation.
Why POV Slips Hurt Your Story
One of the most common issues I see in manuscripts I edit is point of view (POV) slips. POV slips are when the writer slips out of the POV the scene is written in and dips into another character’s POV. This often has the result of feeling jarring to the reader and pulling them out of the story. Depending on who your reader is, they may not be able to articulate why they felt pulled out of the story in that moment, but for most readers, a POV slip does pull them out of your story world for a moment, maybe more.
The Different Types of Editing
The term “editing” refers to a lot of different processes in writing, so it can understandably be confusing when writers hear that they need to hire an “editor.” Having a solid understanding of the different types of editing (and at what point in the process you’re most likely to need each type) can help you communicate your needs to professional editors and also help you research and vet an editor you may want to work with.
5 Steps to Start Writing a Novel
Writing a book is a dream for many, a goal on their bucket list that, sadly, too many people never accomplish. It can feel like an overwhelming project, and many people don’t even try because they simply don’t know where or how to begin. So, here I’ve broken down 5 steps you can take to create a writing life and start working towards achieving your dream of writing a book.
If Not Now, When?
I hear from a lot of people who dream of someday writing a book that “now just isn’t the right time.” Work is demanding, their kids are young, their parents need to be cared for, their husband just had surgery…the lists go on and on. And I get it, some seasons of our lives are busier and more chaotic than others. But the problem with putting off chasing after your dreams until the timing feels right is that the timing likely won’t ever feel exactly right. There will always be something that could take our attention away from writing.
The Cost of Publishing a Book
One of the biggest questions I hear working with indie authors is “How much does it cost to publish a book?” The second biggest question? “Do I really need [insert production cost here].” I get it. It’s rare that an indie author is someone supported by a sizeable trust fund with no financial obligations. More often, said author is jumping into publishing their book as a side gig. It’s been their dream to be an author, to publish their story, and they just want to get it out there.
The Power of Realistic Goals
If you’re anything like me, you pack your to do list with a plethora of goals every month, week, and day. No minute is wasted on a daily basis. In fact, you cram more onto your list than you know you’ll be able to accomplish figuring if you happen to finish all the “must do” items, then at least you have a handful of other items to choose from. There’s no real use in figuring out what’s possible to actually complete on any given day when there’s an endless number of things you need to accomplish. Right?
What’s Really Stopping You From Writing Your Novel?
Writing a novel is hard work. It takes a commitment to learning about the craft of writing, dedication to spending time getting words on the page, then enough motivation to sustain us through the process of what might feel like endless rounds of revision and editing. We’re often battling a lack of time as other obligations vie for our precious hours and keep us from crafting our characters. We often dream of having endless hours to spend on our writing, convinced that if we only had more time, we’d churn out story after story and be the successful, bestselling authors we know we’re meant to be.
Why Didn’t I See That?
A year-and-a-half ago, I’d hired my own developmental editor for my manuscript. I’d been working on this story for several years by this point and had worked on it in workshops and solicited critiques and feedback from fellow writers. But there is such a thing as too much feedback when it comes to our writing, and all the feedback and input I’d received left me feeling confused about the direction I needed to take to really make this story work.
4 Tips for Finding Time to Write When Life is Busy
I often talk about how the key to being successful as a writer is finding a routine that works for you and then sticking to it. (If you haven’t already established a good writing routine, check out by blog post 5 Easy Steps to Start Your Writing Routine for some ideas to get started). But what about when life is in a busy season and maintaining our usual routine isn’t possible?
4 Steps for a Successful Preptober
Happy October, writers! November is on the horizon, along with NaNoWriMo. If you’re planning to participate this year (or even if you’re undecided), I have some tips to help you prep to set yourself up for success.
Why Too Much Feedback Can Be Harmful
Excellent advice for any writer is to get feedback on your writing. No matter what stage you’re at, how advanced you are, or how naturally talented, gaining feedback on your writing is a great way to learn and improve and to catch issues with your writing that you’re simply too close to the story to see. But there hits a point when you may have too much feedback for it to actually be beneficial.
Why Taking a Break Will Make You More Productive
Our world is very “hustle” oriented nowadays. We’re constantly bombarded with images and updates of the progress those around us are making, being offered advice on how we can be more productive, and given subtle and not-so-subtle hints that down time is for the lazy. But hustling all day every day will eventually end only one way: burnout.