A few weeks ago, I shared how numbers could improve your writing life. Today, I’m going to discuss how numerical data can improve your story. The suggestions I present here are in the context of novels, but you can apply these principles to other forms as well. As with the previous article, I don’t want… Read more »
Writers love to talk about their books, their friends’s books, trends in the publishing industry, and our endless anxieties about writing. But our poor families can only take so much of this at the dinner table. My advice to every writer is to assemble a team of key friends who can handle your obsession, help… Read more »
Anxiety. I might be kneeling over a chopping block with this, but I know I’m not the only writer who has prepared that perfect email — author bio, fully researched the agent/publisher/editor so you know exactly the time they leave their house for work, attached your fully blossomed baby, and re-read the correspondence another three… Read more »
Writing a draft isn’t easy, but it is easily measurable. Every day, your word count increases. You probably know how many total words your manuscript needs to have in order to meet your genre conventions. By analyzing your typical daily pace, you can even plan how much time you need to get to the finish… Read more »
What are Villains in Literature? A villain is, by definition, an evil or immoral character intent on harming others. In literature, these characters portray evil and immoral behavior while also providing readers with an antagonistic force or bad guy – a figure against whom to root. They are often presented as self-serving or selfish, especially… Read more »
For last year’s NaNoWriMo, I chose to write about my WIP, a modern fantasy YA setting in the Caribbean. I had already finished the novel’s first draft in mid-2022, but something felt off about the writing. I didn’t even want to look at some chapters. It wasn’t disgust: it was detachment. That’s because when you… Read more »
In many ways, freelance work is a dream gig. You get to make your own hours. You get to choose the projects you want. And, best of all, you get to earn your living doing what you love. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all hearts and flowers always. Every silver lining has a cloud,… Read more »
Many writers claim to have number phobia. They are happy to wrangle with words, but as soon as mentions of math slip into conversation, they bolt, desperate to return to safer terrain. I’m one of the math-loving few in the writing community. I’ve always been a numbers nerd, and I love looking at data in… Read more »
There is nothing like the feeling of typing “The End” on your rough draft. Writing a novel is a huge accomplishment and you should celebrate! Have a treat, share a toast with friends, reward yourself with a new book from your favorite independent bookstore, or have an impromptu living room dance party. Whatever you do,… Read more »
When you type the iconic words The End in your manuscript, what feelings do they evoke in you? Joy or fulfillment? Or possibly even dread or a sense of emptiness? To me, the moment was priceless. I felt elated, relieved, and filled with enthusiasm. As a first-time author, however, I had no inkling of the… Read more »
