Reasons to celebrate at the end of each draft

Writing, re-drafting, and editing. It's a long cycle, but all steps involved in turning your initial idea into a fully finished story. It's always a great feeling, finishing the first draft, and cause to celebrate. But when it comes to subsequent drafts, we tend to just move on to the next step. But really, we…

3 must-have books on novel editing

Editing; it's one of those love/hate parts of being a writer. Whether you enjoy the process or loathe it, it is an unavoidable and essential part of the novel writing process. And you will likely edit the same manuscript not once, not twice, but three, four, five....you get the idea! There are many resources out…

Don’t lose your novel! 5 ways to backup your writing

Writing a novel is a huge deal. It is tough and exciting, long and rewarding, emotional and powerful. Those words you produce, those characters you breathe life into, those worlds you create, are more valuable than gold. And nothing could be more heartbreaking than losing it all. So, while it may sound like simple advice,…

3 things your book needs to be before you send it to an agent (and 1 it doesn’t!)

I've spoken quite a lot about the submission process on the blog. It's a terrifying and exciting part of the writing journey. Deciding your novel is ready to send out to agents isn't easy. You'll always doubt yourself. That's why I'm sharing three things your novel needs to be before you submit, and one it…

5 Ways A Timeline Helps You Write Your Novel

Some writers are plotters. Others are pantsers. There's no right way to do it. There are pros and cons to plotting, and it's up to you to decide what works best. Personally, I'm a plotter. Typically, my plotting consists of a basic outline and little else. It worked for two novels. But on my third,…

4 reasons to carve out designated writing time

Writing required commitment, but it's not always easy to find time in ourbusy lives. Yet, if it's something we want to pursue, it's something we have to do. Recently, alongside fitting writing in whenever I can, I've set aside designated writing time. Two hours on a Sunday, when I shut off from the world and…

5 Quotes To Spur You On While Editing Your Novel

Editing is an essential part of the journey for any writer. It's the stage I'm at with my work in progress, and so has been a bit of a theme on the blog recently. I've discussed questions you should ask yourself while editing, as well as sharing my step-by-step editing method. It's not always easy…

Editing a Scene/Chapter: Step by Step

Editing a novel is a bit like building a house. Brick by brick, bit by bit, word by word. There are so many methods, and different ways to do it. For me, I do it chapter by chapter, focusing on one at a time. This is the method that I use, I hope it can…

5 things I learned finishing a story I almost gave up on

The book I'm working on now has tried and tested me. I only just made my way through the stubborn first draft, and am now trying to put together its fractured pieces. But before the draft was finished, I considered giving up a number of times. These are some of the things I learned through…

Questions to ask yourself while editing a chapter/scene

Editing is such an important part of the novel writing process. And each chapter or scene needs to be treated with care, examined closely, and made to shine off the page. And to do so, there are some questions you need to ask yourself. Take a look... Is there a sense of place? There's nothing…