Writing Process
How to Stop Overusing Adverbs to Enhance Your Story
There is an ongoing discussion amongst writers on the best practices when using adverbs in our writing. You’ve probably heard more than one writer say to not use adverbs! Even notable writers such as Stephen King have warned against overusing adverbs. Today’s blog...
How to Outline Your Manuscript After It’s Written
If you didn't outline your manuscript pre-writing chances are you've realized that it needs a lot of work. I’m currently in a similar position-dusting off a manuscript I wrote as a teenager which means a lot of revisions are coming my way! Well, my friend, if you...
Stephen King’s “On Writing”: Unlock Your Writing Potential
Stephen King’s book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft blends memoir with advice for writing at any stage of your writing journey. I was gifted this book 7 years ago when I moved across the country. As a young twenty-something struggling to make ends meet and keep up...
How to Incorporate Relevant Flashbacks into Your Story
Did you read last week’s blog post on beginning your story in the middle of the action? In that post, we talked about not wanting to bore our readers with a ton of exposition as we set up the world and characters at the beginning of the story. We want to hook readers...
How to Start Your Story in the Middle of the Action
Have you ever been told to “stick with a book and it’ll get better?” Sometimes, we discover that chapter one is a little slow, but once the story starts moving it’s well worth the read. Not all readers are willing to stick around past page one though. Our lives are...
How to Know When Your Story is Complete!
As writers, we spend months stuck in our literary worlds- living, breathing, and dreaming our characters’ adventures. You’ve probably heard more than a few people refer to their manuscripts as their babies. And you might relate to the fear of letting others read or...
How To Master Research For An Immersive Novel
Research is key to crafting an authentic, accurate, and immersive story that engages your readers. But, researching can be overwhelming! How can you discover what you need to know without getting lost in the vast realm of information available? Today, I want to share...
Write for Yourself First Before Considering Your Readers
Plot structure, genre features and tropes are all storytelling techniques that we expect to reread time and time again. Often, it’s quite enjoyable. We all have our favourite genres and character arcs, but as writers, we walk a fine line between incorporating these...
How To Revise Your Novel: A 5 Step Process
Do you have the urge to procrastinate when you sit down to revise your novel? Do you feel unsure of your talents when you look back at that hot mess of a manuscript? I swear, revising a novel can be like folding laundry- calming in its own way and oh-so-satisfying...
Plot Your Outline: Questions to Develop a Strong Story
Enter you, a writer, with all your brilliant ideas and the many oh-so-exciting moments you think would make your story epic. You've got it all in your head. There's no need to plot out your story, right? How many times have you been excited to get writing as soon as...
