January proves to be a productive month for me

January was pretty good to me. I’ve already hit some of my writing goals this year. What a great feeling that is! Hitting some of my goals gives me the motivation to keep working hard. It pushes me to keep going with my writing, which makes me happy. What goals did I hit in January? …

How Do You Show Your Work the Best Way?

Show your work. Seriously. Why are you writing or drawing or painting if you’re not going to show your work? Austin Kleon’s book called Show Your Work tells us how to do just that. I first learned about this book during a chat in the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook group. At that point, I followed …

My Amazing 2017 Goals Will Rock This Year

What are your 2017 goals? Taking off from where I left off last week, I’m sharing my goals with you. I’ve learned how to set better goals since last year. Every year I get better and better with my writing. I learn new things through chats in my writing groups, like 10 Minute Novelists, on …

The Good and the Bad of My 2016 Writing Goals

Most writers are spending this last week reviewing their 2016 goals and looking ahead to 2017. I’ve been thinking about them for a couple of weeks. I didn’t hit all of my goals as I had wanted. But I sure gave it a better chance than last year. Every year things improve more for me. …

Did you get good results with NaNoWriMo?

Four. Four times. Four times I’ve started this book, and for the first time since I “won” my first National Novel Writing Month in 2012, I “won” this year. I pat myself on the back. I am so proud. And it’s not that I’m proud that I finished the 50,000 words of the NaNoWriMo challenge. …

Why is Preparing for NaNoWriMo so Difficult?

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, arrives in a few days so I’m plotting out the book I’ll write during the annual event. I’m attempting for the third time to write the third book of a trilogy. I’m hoping third time’s a charm, as the saying goes. I’m ready for this novel to be done. …

How to Choose an Editor for Your Novel

Choosing an editor is not an easy task. The success of your novel depends on how well it’s written and how well it’s edited. Finding an editor is much like finding a doctor or a caregiver. You want someone who will take care of you and/or your baby. Your novel is like a baby to …

What Is the Hardest Part of Writing a Novel?

The hardest part of writing a novel is the plot. Without a great plot, you have no novel. Without a novel, you have no readers. Along with the plot, you need a hook. Even if you have a plot, you need a hook to get your readers into the plot and keep them reading. Without …

4 Editors Who Help You Perfect Your Novels

Understanding the kinds of editors is one of the hardest things for writers. At least that has been my experience as an editor. Usually new writers have a tougher time understanding the differences, but sometimes the experienced ones aren’t quite sure either. I had the honor of leading a chat for the 10 Minute Novelists …

How to Take Charge of Your Writer’s Block

Back in April I published my second fiction novel. I had published the first one in June 2013 so I wasn’t too upset with myself for the length of time between novels. Writer’s block has gotten me, though. No matter how hard I try to motivate myself to do some writing I can’t get going. …

The Zen of The Easy Way to Write a Novel That Sells

About a month ago I wrote a review about a book called Easy Cash Writing. It’s a great book that taught me quite a bit so I decided to give another of Rob Parnell’s books a chance. This time I read The Easy Way to Write a Novel That Sells. It’s as informative as his …

How to Prep for NaNoWriMo That Writers Will Love

Less than two weeks from today writers everywhere will be in a writing frenzy. Yes, National Novel Writing Month begins. Are you one of those writers? Are you ready for November 1? Last week I wrote about three reasons why you should do NaNoWriMo. Now that I see I have talked you into doing this …