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When setting a scene, fiction writers often swing to one of two extremes. Either the writer gives too few clues or else the writer describes the scene in excruciating detail. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s look at how you can set a scene that gives enough information without drowning in details. When and Where Each […]
Writing When Holidays Hit In the writing biz, they say editors and agents take a vacation from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day. Even for writers, if a deadline isn’t looming, the holidays can take a bite out of word count. Last post, we talked about writing when crises arise. Now let’s turn to writing when […]
Sometimes in spite of our best writing intentions, life gets in the way. This past week, a family member–my eldest son’s significant other, a 30 year-old named Nikki–suffered a major stroke. My plans immediately took a back seat as we fervently prayed, paced and figured out what to do next. Nikki was Life-flighted to a […]
Now that you’ve achieved your 50k NaNoWriMo novel word count, you’ll want to rest your writing. No, you don’t stop writing—even if it is holiday madness time. But resting that hot mess of a draft will help you when you begin editing after the new year. Writing Tip for Today: Here are three easy ways […]
Writing the ending to your NaNoWriMo novel can make the whole month feel worthwhile. As soon as you type, “The End,” you can start celebrating! Writing Tip for Today: To help your NaNo novel cross the finish line in the best shape possible, consider these tips: No Rushing, Shoving or Pushing As you write […]
Writing Your NaNoWriMo Climax Scene Writing a NanoWriMo novel leads, step by step, to the climax scene. We’re in the last two weeks of the endeavor, so many are nearing that pivotal scene in the work. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few ideas for writing your NaNo climax scene: The Last Battle […]
Writing NaNo Novels: Flash Dialogue Last post, we discussed how to assemble a few flash cards to give you direction in writing your NaNoWriMo novel. Today, let’s take the “flash” concept and apply it to writing your NaNo novel’s dialogue. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some easy ways that FLASH DIALOGUE can generate […]
Anti-outline-writers often feel frustrated when it comes to pre-planning a novel, but it’s possible to write your NaNoWriMo novel as a pantster with a little help. As we head into NaNoWriMo season, writers everywhere hear a lot about plot points, beats and storyboards. How about Flash Cards? Writing Tip for Today: Here’s a simple method […]
Writing Subplots that Sing Novels that include at least one subplot tend to be more nuanced and reflect better real life. A mystery often features an ongoing love interest. A love story might include a murder subplot. A fantasy saga might juggle several subplots. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s take a look at some […]
Use It or Lose It? Handling Feedback In a good critique group, writers handle feedback with better results when they “use it or lose it.” These writers adopt the suggestions that make sense for the work and let the rest fall to the wayside. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss the feedback a writer might […]
Linda has always been a daydreamer, artist and storyteller. In addition to doting on grandbabies, collecting too many cats, gardening and walking on the beach, she loves to write and to help writers develop their skills. [READ MORE…]
