How to Keep Your Story on Track

This month, I’ve written about how to stay on track with your drafts, revisions, queries, and using self-care because after all, you can’t keep writing if you’re burned out. Today, however, I want to talk about craft. How do we keep our stories on track? The short answer? Story trajectory. Your story’s trajectory is the

Tips for Writers to Stay on Track During Revision

Revision is hard.  We pull, delete, tweak, rewrite, switch order, switch tense, revisit motivations and point of view. There are endless big changes to be made and then we dig into word choice, active vs. passive voice, and punching up dialogue and description.  And the process can feel endless.  I know. I’m in it now.

Good vs. Bad Writing Feedback

There are two kinds of feedback: useful feedback that helps you grow as a writer and strengthens your work OR bad feedback that is impossible to satisfy and doesn’t teach you anything.  Bad feedback is: Some examples of bad feedback: “I don’t know why, but I don’t like it.” “The voice needs to be stronger.”

Feedback: Where Writers Can Find It

Whether you are new to the writing game or have been doing this for sometime, finding valuable feedback on your work is a necessity. The most common question I hear from writers is where to find it. Let’s take a quick look at the types of feedback available to you first. Critique Partners or Alpha

Feedback: Why Do Writers Need It? (Series 1 of 4)

This month, I want to dive into feedback. What is it? Why do we need it? Where do we find it? How do we use it most effectively? Feedback can be a tricky business for writers. We definitely know we need it, but why? It may seem simple: because we wrote this thing in isolation

Stuck in the Murky Middle (January Stuck Series Part 3 of 4)

The middle is that dangerous place for a writer of a novel-length work. There are just so many words needed to get you from your inciting incident to your climax and protagonist’s ultimate change. For many writers, the beginning is easy. You have a shiny idea that invigorates your creative energy. Scenes may be pouring

Stuck at the Start (January Stuck Series Part 2 of 4)

The blank page can be an intimidating thing. Or maybe you have such a great idea that you fear once you start writing it you’ll ruin it. Or you have so many ideas you can’t possibly decide which one to start with and so you don’t start any of them. Or maybe you’ve always wanted

Give Your Writing the Gift of Grace this Holiday Season

The holidays are upon us and with them come disruptions galore. We are busier this time of year squeezing in more parties and tree lightings and school holiday sing-alongs not to mention adding shopping and cookie baking and wrapping to our already busy schedules. Our writing time can often be the first thing to go

How Drafting and Revising Feel Different: The Clean House Edition

As I type this, we are having our house power washed. It feels like I’m inside a car wash while sitting at my desk. I don’t hate it. Power washing a home must be an inordinately satisfying job. You arrive and the walkway is darkened with years of baked in dirt. The fascia is dull.

New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year! Despite proclaiming to not set resolutions I will most certainly fail at for the new year, I do still do a fair bit of planning. I like to have goals to work towards, even if they change throughout the year. Last year, however, coming out of 2020, I wanted to be gentle