Writing a Novel

Cover Design 21.08.2023 19:38 ↓

How to meet the reader's expectations and give your book its best chance.

Front and Back Matter 08.08.2023 17:54 ↓

What to include before and after the story itself.

Themes and Subtext 31.07.2023 8:15 ↓

The arty parts of writing don't need to be engineered up-front.

Editing 24.07.2023 22:40 ↓

How to edit your manuscript, and why you'll need other pairs of eyes to help you.

The First Draft 17.07.2023 11:01 ↓

The best way to approach your first draft, and guarantee you'll finish it.

Outlining 19.06.2023 12:31 ↓

How to outline your story before starting, to make the writing process easier.

Truth 05.06.2023 11:24 ↓

Stories should tell lies that are truer than real life allows.

Research 29.05.2023 17:23 ↓

Details in fiction aren't about adding information, but rather creating the appearance of knowledge and truth.

Chapters 22.05.2023 14:44 ↓

You should only start thinking about chapters after you've written the first draft of your book.

Prologues and Epilogues 15.05.2023 8:34 ↓

There's no need to avoid prologues and epilogues, as long as you don't let them get in the way of the story.

Plot and Structure 08.05.2023 24:12 ↓

Stories have a common and intuitive structure, and it's a useful tool for writing a novel.

Tools 01.05.2023 17:40 ↓

Always use the right tools for each stage of the creative process.

Routine 23.04.2023 10:19 ↓

The deep magic of writing consistently is to make the task very boring.

Plotting vs Pantsing 19.04.2023 12:48 ↓

A full plan, or no plan at all, can each be appropriate for different authors or works.

Finding the Idea 16.04.2023 14:13 ↓

Noticing story ideas is a skill you can learn, as is finding the emotional centre of a tale.

Inspiration 11.04.2023 10:25 ↓

Inspiration is something that comes after you start work, not a prerequisite for it.

Motivation 10.04.2023 11:02 ↓

Getting into a working mindset, and striving to be a writer every day.

An Introduction and a Pep Talk 09.04.2023 9:19 ↓

What the Trouble With Writing is about, and why you can absolutely write a novel.