Browsing Tag

how to write a book

You Do Not Write the Story. The Story Writes You.

Why is learning how to write so hard?

If you want to be a writer, there are countless MFA programs, online courses, and more advice than one person could ever read on the internet. There are a bajillion writing guides on Amazon. And if you jump around on social media for even two minutes to see what writers are up to, you will quickly find more how-to guides, tips, tricks, hacks, and everything else an aspiring writer could ever want or need.

So, with all this information available, why is learning how to write still so hard? Continue Reading

19 April, 2018 by

The Number One Reason Writers Give Up

There are a lot of writers out there who have started writing their novel but never finished it. They tend to beat themselves up for this, believing that the reason they gave up was lack of determination. I’ve worked with enough writers though to know that this is not the case. In fact, I’ve actually never met a writer who lacked determination. Instead, the truth is just a bit more insidious. Continue Reading

7 May, 2014 by

7 Reasons Your Novel Isn’t Working

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You’re Just Not That Into It
When you start writing a new novel, it’s like the honeymoon phase of a new love affair. Everything about your story is soooo interesting. You could sit for days and just stare into your protagonist’s eyes. By the time you’ve written the first one-third of your book though, the bloom is off the rose. If you’re not truly compatible with the book you’re trying to write, this is the time you’ll get those red flags loud and clear. Everyone hits that hump in the middle, but if you only dread writing your story and you’re never excited to see it again, it’s time to seriously reevaluate this project. Continue Reading

5 August, 2013 by

Stop Re-Reading, Start Moving Forward

SAMSUNGFor writers, this might be the biggest temptation of them all.

You write a little. You go back and read it. You write a little more. You start from the beginning, re-read the first little bit and then read the little bit you just added. You write a tiny bit more onto that but now…you’re starting to feel weird. You’re starting to feel anxious. Sure, you sort of liked what you read, but it could just be improved in so many places. The language is too flowery, or too simple. The structure is too convoluted and it’s obvious any other reader is going to be confused. Maybe you should go back and fix it…here…and here…and right there. Continue Reading

25 July, 2013 by

Is It the Right Time for Your Book?

SAMSUNGIn our world, everything keeps getting faster.

Even in just the last one hundred years, the pace of modern society has zoomed forward astronomically. We jump online and talk to friends instantly, or we jump on a plane and travel a distance in one day that would have taken months using an old-fashioned horse and carriage. We get information where and when and how we need it, and it seems like every kind of commodity we could ever want or need is available at our mega-superstores. Continue Reading

18 July, 2013 by