This blog is late. It's late because I made the silly mistake of promising in my last post in this series that the next part would come "next week" i.e. the second half of November. Well, that didn't happen, for a variety of reasons including getting behind on NaNoWriMo, exciting new health issues, and getting … Continue reading All Downhill From Here: Story Structure in Act 2, Part 2
Tag: writing advice
Setting the Stage for Story: Structuring the First Act
All you need to write a story is a beginning, a middle, and an end. The three-act structure sounds simple enough. It’s a classic, literally, originating with the theories of Aristotle and still central to much of the structural writing advice that floats around today. But drilling down into exactly how each act should work—and … Continue reading Setting the Stage for Story: Structuring the First Act
Tips, Tricks, and Tools for NaNoWriMo Fast Drafting
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Welcome to the wild winter word marathon known as National Novel Writing Month. Over the next thirty days, thousands of ambitious writers will churn out 50,000 words apiece to earn nothing but bragging rights, a hearty case of sleep deprivation, and hopefully part of a messy first … Continue reading Tips, Tricks, and Tools for NaNoWriMo Fast Drafting
Five Lessons From the Other Side of the Query Letter
Hello from the other side! June has been a busy month for me. I had my second book release and wrote my first official edit letter as a Rogue Mentor. I’m also slowly working through feedback letters to some Rogue hopefuls. And now that my mentee has started her revision process, I want to share … Continue reading Five Lessons From the Other Side of the Query Letter
Don’t Let Craft Advice Silence Your Authorial Voice
The internet is full of craft advice for writers. Some of it is even good advice. All of it purports to make your writing better, more readable, more relatable, more salable. I’m not talking about grammar advice, like how to punctuate dialogue. That’s a mechanical skill. It’s mostly objective, at least within its specific context … Continue reading Don’t Let Craft Advice Silence Your Authorial Voice
Here Be Dragons: Outlining for Discovery Writers
If the prospect of outlining a new project make you want to run away to sea, you’re not alone. While some writers swear by extensive planning, others despise it. And some aspire to plan ahead, but find themselves uninspired by the process. The age-old split between plotters and pantsers may leave many in the latter … Continue reading Here Be Dragons: Outlining for Discovery Writers
The 5 Essential Ingredients of an Effective Query Letter
This is not a recipe blog. Or is it? Okay, maybe it is, because today I'm sharing my recipe for cooking up the publishing equivalent of a soufflé: the much-dreaded query letter. Most authors hate writing them, but query letters are a prerequisite for fiction submissions to most agents and editors. A good one will … Continue reading The 5 Essential Ingredients of an Effective Query Letter
Pitch Wars Prep: Lessons from 2019
I wasn't chosen. I didn't get any requests. Here's why I'm glad I participated - and why I'm excited to try again.