It’s the start of a new year, a time where there’s pressure to feel inspired, positive, and full of hope. Of course, the start of a new decade represents a fantastic opportunity. We can do things differently and pursue our author goals with a new sense of vigor and purpose. But what if you’re not in that state of mind? Sometimes, it can be awkward to admit we’re … [Read more...]
How Long Should My Book Be?
Writing a book can be a daunting task, and many writers wonder how many words they need to complete a book. Is a 50,000 word manuscript long enough? Is a 200,000 word manuscript too long? (Another question is how many words make up a page in a printed book. That varies a lot, depending on the trim size and layout, but you might assume about 350 words per page.) The simple … [Read more...]
5 Must-Watch TED Talks on Creativity That Will Improve Your Writing
Creativity is defined as, “The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work,” according to the dictionary. While we would love to believe that we have a reservoir of original ideas ready to pull from, that is far from the case. According to a 2012 New York Times article, creativity is more complex. It can come from looking at … [Read more...]
Writing Tips from Stephen King
Stephen King is one of the most popular fiction writers of our day, and his book offers writers insight into King's view of the writer's craft. This infographic shares 14 tips from . Read what King has to say about passive tense, what makes the best stories, description, setting a daily writing goal and what paves the road to hell. [Note: This infographic appeared on … [Read more...]
Wondering
I vividly recall my first morning after moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I walked out the door of my hotel and was instantly smitten by the first strands of morning sunlight radiating from beyond the Sandia Mountains. Later that day I described the experience to an amused local, who replied, “No big deal. After a few months it will just be part of the background.” That … [Read more...]
Start With an Outline and Make Writing Easier
Writers may have different processes for creativity, storytelling or editing, but outlining is a common practice of the most prolific writers. Your outline is like the train tracks that your writing train runs on. If you just run full speed without an outline, that’s a fast track to poorly supported conclusions and scattered thoughts. An outline is not restrictive, though. You … [Read more...]
The Productive Sprint
Note from Cathy: NaNoWriMo is coming soon, and the following post from Leo Babauta contains excellent advice for getting a lot done in a short time. Why not try a 'productive sprint' to get your next project done, whether for NaNoWriMo or any other time? In the past two weeks, I’ve written more than 45,000 words, including 10 posts for Zen Habits and Sea Change and 30 … [Read more...]
Feedback Is A Fiction Writer’s Friend
You’ve spent countless hours writing a story, poured your soul into it and edited it half a dozen times. You finally have a draft that you’re proud of. You give it to a couple of friends to read, and ask them for comments. Instead of getting feedback such as, “It’s brilliant,” though, you get back comments like, “Neat idea. I like your characters. I’m not sure I understand the … [Read more...]
First Person Or Third? How To Choose What’s Right For Your Story
Some people have a global preference for using the first person or third person in their works of fiction, but for others, it’s a fresh decision every time. How do you decide when you aren’t sure which you want to use? … [Read more...]
Christian Writers’ Conferences Fall / Winter 2015
If your book is Christian themed or is in the Christian genre then attending a Christian Writers conference may be of interest to you. At a Christian Writing Conference you are likely to encounter authors with popular published work, or view up and coming authors recently finished work. Emily Akin, freelance writer says, “If you want your work published, you should attend … [Read more...]