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

Staying on Track: Self-Care for Writers

While I’ve been talking about tips to stay on track during drafting, revising, and querying this month, it’s pretty impossible to stay on track when we’re burned out. Trust me. This week, I’ve been down for the count with a head cold. I haven’t had one in the three years since COVID locked us into

Tips to Keep Writers on Track While Drafting

This month, I want to focus on how we can stay on track as writers. Writing a book is a long, complex process and it is easy to lose our way. If you want to finish your novel, read on for tips to keep you moving forward to “the end” of your story and your

Using a Growth Mindset to Make the Most of Feedback on Your Writing

In the second grade, I got a perfect score on my greater than and less than test. A perfect zero. I had mixed up the way the alligator was supposed to open his mouth. In true writer fashion, I’d created a narrative to help me remember and, according to my reasoning, the alligator ATE the

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: 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 at “The End” (January Stuck Series 4 of 4)

We made it!! It’s the last full week in January and this month I’ve tried to explore every facet of being “stuck” in our writing process. As a reminder, we’ve looked at: (For even more, check out my Instagram Stuck Series Highlights) It seems strange to think of being stuck at the end. After all,

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

What it Looks Like to be Stuck in Your Writing (Part 1 of 4)

Happy New Year! I know the New Year is an arbitrary date on the calendar, but I love having a reason to stop and reassess my work processes and personal habits in order to maybe make an adjustment or try something new. With that in mind, this January, I am going to be focused on writers