Tag: aspiring writers
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5 Books That Will Inspire You to Be a Writer
Are you planning to write a book in 2020? Want some writing inspiration and wisdom from authors who have written dozens or even hundreds of stories and books? Check out my list of the five most inspiring books about writing over at Civilian Reader. P.S. Do you love free stuff . . . like books,…
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9 Surprising Things I Love about Writing (and One Thing I Hate)
True story: When I was 17, I met an African storyteller. He traveled to distant parts of the world, collecting oral stories and writing them down for posterity. He was my first real-life writing teacher. His feedback helped me get started as a writer. Within a couple of years, I had sold my first magazine…
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Making Fascinating Monsters on The Bibliosanctum
How do writers create fascinating monsters? For me, it’s a many-layered process that involves thinking about where a monster came from, what it’s after, how it thinks, and what happens when it encounters the heroes. I actually got the chance to dive deep into the monster-creation process and explain how to do it step-by-step, thanks…
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4 Writing Pitfalls to Avoid at All Costs
Has your writing fallen into a black hole? Has your pacing dropped to a crawl, or your suspense become a snore? Do you just feel stuck? You might be sabotaging your own writing without even knowing it. But don’t panic. Here’s how to avoid the four most perilous pitfalls of writing.
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Answered: Your Most Burning Questions About Editors
For every brilliant manuscript that grows into a best-selling novel, untold thousands of others get dumped into the recycle bin. What’s the crucial difference between them? Ask Jamie. Over the years, James Persichetti has seen more unpublished manuscripts cross his desk than most people could read in a lifetime. He started out at the incomparable…
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The Simple Secret to Fixing Ugly Story Problems
It happens to every writer: you’re writing along when suddenly you need to go back and change some fact or detail. Because if you don’t fix it, the story won’t make sense. Should you stop writing at that moment to go fix it? Nope. That could kill your momentum. Here’s a better idea. It’s called…
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6 Secrets of Successful Critique Groups
Critique groups: best thing ever for writers? Or soul-crushing pits of despair? Here are my 6 secrets for spotting a top-notch critique group — or assembling your own. Connect with other writers and get the feedback you need to finish your book, publish it, and write the next one. Everything you need to know from…
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The Short, Sad Saga of Mississippi Jones
Some names stick with us. Bridget Jones, Holden Caulfield, Nero Wolfe — these names are all indelibly stamped into our literary consciousness. Those names are evocative. Memorable. Unique. Some writers are incredibly good at coming up with names. I am not one of them.
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Top 3 Questions of Aspiring Writers
I’m always happy to answer questions from aspiring authors. This week, I got some tricky ones: Q: How do you know when to end one chapter and start the next chapter? A: You end a chapter as soon as the lead character either achieves their goal or fails. The best place to end a chapter…
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Why You Should NEVER Carry a Notebook
For many years, I carried a writing notebook with me everywhere I went. That’s what all serious writers do, I’ve always heard. But in truth, it’s a terrible idea. Here’s why. First, when you write in a notebook, your notes are locked in rigid sequential order. If you tend to think of things randomly (and…
LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON 