LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON

Tag: writing

  • 6 Secrets of Successful Critique Groups

    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…

  • How to Outline a Novel (Even If You Hate Outlines)

    How to Outline a Novel (Even If You Hate Outlines)

    Getting overwhelmed at the prospect of starting (or finishing) your novel? Feeling the pressure of hundreds of blank pages staring at you, waiting to be filled? No sweat. Planning out a story is like building a wall: You just do it one block at a time. Just like a towering brick wall is made up…

  • Need more time to write?

    Need more time to write?

    What’s the difference between an aspiring writer and a bestselling author? Writing time. Erle Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason and hailed by some as the best-selling author of the 20th century, set before himself the goal of writing 66,000 words per week. Yes, per week. 

  • Two kinds of writer’s block

    Two kinds of writer’s block

    I get a lot of emails from writers who think they’re suffering from writer’s block. But are they really blocked, or is there something else holding them back? The truth might surprise you. 

  • 3 old-school secrets to writing more

    Think you don’t have time to write? Wrong. There are 24 hours in a day, so if you write for one measly hour, that’s a mere 4% of your day. (Or 6% of your waking hours, if you get a full eight hours of sleep. Lucky you.) Want to squeeze in more writing time? Take…

  • Where does Neil Gaiman get his ideas?

    Every writer gets asked about ideas. Where do they come from? How do you find them? What inspires you? Uber-cool author Neil Gaiman suggests that you should ask yourself questions and start filling in the blanks: – What if ___ ? – If only ___ . – I wonder what/why ___ . – Wouldn’t it…

  • Kill Your Laptop: Extreme Ways to Finish Your Novel

    I get a lot of emails from writers who think they’re suffering from writer’s block. But are they? See if this sounds familiar to you: “I keep going back to fix things.” “Sometimes, I hate the words I just wrote.” “When I watch what I’m typing, I write much cleaner sentences with less typos, but…

  • Don’t Make This Legal Mistake in Your Novel

    Q: Is it legal to write a novel based on a true story, and use the real names of the people involved? A: Yes, but it’s probably more trouble than it’s worth. Since I’m not a lawyer, none of this is legal advice of any kind, FYI. But here’s what you’re up against: Writing about…

  • The #1 Writing Secret Every Writer Should Know

    Q: Hi! I’m currently writing a book, and I want to get it published, but I’m in high school and that makes things a lot harder. Could you please explain the basic process of how it would get published? A: I’m so glad you enjoy writing! I started writing short stories when I was 16,…

  • How to Write Foreign Languages in Your Novel

    Let’s face it, foreign words are cool. They can make your characters sound smarter, make exotic settings feel more authentic and even increase the dramatic tension in a scene. But before you start sprinkling a certain je ne sais quoi into your prose, take these steps to make sure your reader doesn’t get lost in…