Tag: Writing Tips
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Create the Perfect Villain: a 6-Step Master Plan
In my last article on Fiction University, I laid out 6 Ways to Make Readers Fall in Love With Your Characters. If you’re writing a story or novel, pay attention. Because now I’m going to flip all of those techniques upside down. I’ll show you how to use the opposite of those exact same methods…
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6 Easy Steps to Writing Unforgettable Characters
Every writer knows that creating interesting characters is one of the toughest parts of the job. I don’t feel like an expert on characters by any means, but RT Book Reviews said this about my latest book: “MacNaughton has a real gift for developing quirky and crazy characters.” Nice to hear, but I’ll tell you:…
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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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Should You Self-Publish Your Novel?
Which is better, self-publishing or a traditional publishing deal? If you’re a hands-on, DIY type of person with an entrepreneurial mindset, then you might be better suited to self-publishing. If you’d rather focus on the writing and not deal with the rest of it, you might prefer traditional publishing. I’ve done both. Here’s the truth:…
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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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How to Never Get Writer’s Block. Ever.
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…
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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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How to Create the Perfect Writing Soundtrack
Before I became a full-time writer, I thought music was too distracting to play while I was writing. I thought I needed absolute silence. Then I got a job as a staff writer, and suddenly I couldn’t hear myself think. Stuck in the middle of a bustling open-plan office, I quickly discovered that if I…
LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON 