Oct 31
Just in time for the NaNoWriMo kickoff Nov. 1, I found a series of articles on The Guardian online outlining a six-stage plan for writing a book in 30 days. The series is part of a 32-page supplement delivered free to Guardian readers in its Oct. 20 edition.
The 30-day plan includes handy worksheets and details about:
“How you do one thing is how you do everything.” I can’t remember who originally said this but I’ve heard it many times.
Learning to write or do any art is like peeling an onion. A concept or craft technique I learned two years ago will continue to unfold and grow to a deeper level in my understanding.
One of many of these moments came to me last weekend at the Surrey Writers Conference. I heard over and over that, as writers, we should only send out our best work.
I know this, of course, but it resonated at a deeper level of understanding for me this weekend. Read more
When I first started writing, I struggled with the passive voice. I remember one of my writing mentors drawing it to my attention. In an early chapter of my memoir I had too many “woulds,” “coulds,” and linking verbs. All of this led to my reader feeling distanced from my story.
As storytellers, we want to engage our readers. One way to do this is by using active verbs.
Here’s the difference:
He kissed her. (active) Read more
This weekend, I attended the Surrey International Writers Conference in Canada. It’s one of my favorite conferences and a wonderful, supportive environment to pitch your manuscript to potential agents and editors.
I didn’t feel like pitching my memoir, so I decided to practice-pitch my work-in-progress, an urban fantasy novel, because that’s the project I’m really excited about right now. Problem was–I didn’t have a pitch for it.
I did have my original idea and an overall grasp of my story so I spent half an hour throwing my pitch together before bed Friday night. In other words, I winged it. (Shhh…don’t tell). Read more
If you’ve written a draft and are now ready to jump into revisions, Wise Ink (@Wiseink) reveals a road map in At First Draft: The 6 (Minimum) Steps to Revising Your Manuscript before Submission.
At the blog YA Stands, Rachel Russell (@RachelxRussell) wrote Fisticuffing Revisions Into Submissions, about her process for revising her manuscript.
What’s your approach to revisions?
When you can convey authentic, universally true emotions through your characters, you connect with your readers and they’ll keep turning the pages. Your readers become invested in your story the moment they viscerally feel what your character feels.
See what else the Plot Whisperer, Martha Alderson, has to say about writing emotions in her 5-minute video here: Read more
I’m always intrigued by how other writers write. I like to see their routines and quirks. Not only is it entertaining and informative, just maybe, I think, I’ll find something in their process I can adopt to improve my own.
Here are a few tidbits from The Daily Beast’s feature, How I Write.
Michelle Gagnon, mystery writer and author of the young adult thriller, Don’t Turn Around, is a big believer in writing a complete draft before starting any editing. Read more
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