Tag: writing a novel
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6 Easy Steps to Planning Out Your Novel
Even if you hate the idea of writing an outline or synopsis, you can still figure out a plan to help you finish your novel fast, avoid major revisions, and beat writer’s block forever. It’s surprisingly easy. Here’s how to do it. First, turn off your computer and set aside your notebook. For this exercise,…
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How to Create Characters in 60 Seconds
When you create great characters, they walk onto the page and make your story unforgettable. They can bring every scene to life. But creating characters takes tons of time and effort, doesn’t it? Not necessarily. I’m here to show you how you can create an impressively good character in 60 seconds or less. Sound…
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Introducing the Six-Figure Master Fiction Plot
Ever wish you could write a novel in just a matter of weeks . . . and then sell it for good money? Lester Dent did exactly that. In fact, he wrote his first novel in just thirteen days. You read that right. Thirteen days. Over the course of his career, he wrote nearly 200…
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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 Over the years, James Persichetti has seen more unpublished manuscripts cross his desk than most people could read in a lifetime.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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How to Plan and Write A Novel
I’m often asked what my writing process looks like. How do I write a book? It’s pretty simple, actually. (Not easy. But simple.) First, I start with the basics: Who are the good guys? What are they trying to do? And, especially, why? Who are the bad guys? Where does this take place? Then I…
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How to Make Writing Your Career: Word Cafe Interview with Yours Truly
Hey, this is cool. Join me over at Word Cafe for an interview where I reveal everything I know about: • Building a full-time career around writing, as a novelist and a copywriter — and what a copywriter does, exactly. • How my first book from a New York publisher actually started out as a…
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What an Editor Really Does — and Why You Need One
I first met Anita when she worked with my literary agent, Kristin Nelson. Anita is a freelance editor who helps writers bring out the very best in their novels. She was kind enough to share her editing insights, including why you should never let a rejection letter get you down, and why joining a critique…
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I Should Be Writing podcast with Yours Truly
Attention writers: You’re missing out. If you aren’t already listening to Mur Lafferty’s, “I Should Be Writing: The Podcast for Wannabe Fiction Writers,” you need to drop what you’re doing and go listen. In every episode, Mur talks about the writing process, problems every writer faces, and how to solve them. The unstoppable Mur was gracious enough…
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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…
LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON 