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.
Continue reading
Have you ever sat down to write, and found that everything you wrote seemed terrible?
Every writer has felt that way, at one time or another.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about those critical thoughts: they can actually help you become a better writer.
But only if you know how to recognize those thoughts for what they are, and then train yourself to have them at the right time.
The creative side of your writing process helps you get the rough draft down on paper.
The critical side, on the other hand, helps you revise and polish the final draft.
In order to be write, you actually need both of these very different thought patterns in your head. You just can’t have them at exactly the same time. Continue reading
Writer’s block(s). Get it? … Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
Let me tell you the secret to getting rid of writer’s block forever.
I’ll admit, I’ve certainly had days where I feel like I don’t know what to write, or I worry that everything I write is terrible.
Some people call that writer’s block. I call it “Monday.” :-)
But seriously, what most people call “writer’s block” is an insidious combination of those two problems.
Problem #1: Not knowing what to write. Continue reading
Writing a book but feeling stuck?
Do you have the sneaking suspicion that your story went off the rails somewhere?
Don’t worry. You can fix practically any story problem just by asking yourself five simple questions.
Got a scene in your novel where a group of characters argue and discuss, but no matter how important the subject is, somehow the tension falls flat?
You can fix this scene, and I’ll tell you the trick right up front: get rid of some of your characters. Why? Continue reading
Hate outlining? You’re not alone. Tomorrow (9/8/12), I’ll be teaching Instant Plot at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers conference. Here’s what’s in store: Continue reading
Q: I’ve got a basic plot planned out for my novel, but I’m worried about being repetitive, because the story is about doing the same thing several times (the main character has a list of people he needs to “off”). Do you know of any way to pull off a plot like that without boring the reader or becoming predictable? Continue reading
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| Writing a novel on a typewriter? Hard. Finishing your novel by any means possible? Smart! |
Are you stuck in the middle of your novel? Do you keep going back to “fix” things in your story? Believe it or not, you might need a typewriter. Continue reading
Writing a book is serious work. Literary icons with kung-fu action grip… not so serious. Enjoy!
P.S. You can also watch the Bronte Sisters Power Dolls here.
Do you love free stuff? Do you love to write? Me too! That’s why I’m teaching an absolutely free writing class this Saturday. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one. Continue reading
Her best customer is on fire, and a magic carpet is careening out of control. Can Dru save her friends—before it’s too late? FREE with author newsletter.
Can Dru solve a cryptic riddle, stop an angry Chinese spirit, and resist heaps of amazingly tasty dumplings – before an evil army of fiends conquers the world? Amazon
When a handsome mechanic with glowing red eyes pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, Dru’s world is turned upside down. Can her magic save the world—before his curse destroys it? Amazon
Sorcerers are disappearing off the streets. Greyson is missing. Hellbringer is on the loose. Can Dru stop the prophecy before legions of undead rise to consume the souls of everyone on Earth? Amazon
Can Dru save Greyson’s soul, salvage her friendships, and find the apocalypse scroll in time to stop doomsday? Amazon
Can Dru escape seven soul-devouring wraiths and safeguard the apocalypse scroll forever—before the undead break the seventh seal? Amazon
Surrounded by criminals, can a con artist with a heart of gold find an ancient spider before it steals his memories — and his life? Amazon
When supernatural evil stalks the noir streets of 1947 New York, private detective Jazzy St. Clare is on the case. Ancient curses, dark sorcery and bloodthirsty fangs are no match for Jazzy’s killer wit and panache.
Laurence MacNaughton is the award-winning author of more than a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories. His work has been praised by Booklist, Publishers Weekly, RT Book Reviews, Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews. He lives in Colorado with his wife and too many classic cars.
