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Lessons Learned: My Experience With Publishing Scams

After writing online for ten years and finishing a two-hundred-thousand-word book that gained over a million reads, getting offered a deal with a publisher was a dream come true. However, in the excitement of finding validation for my work, I missed the warning signs...

How do I know if my project should be standalone or a series?

"Do you have any posts on turning a book into a series, and/or deciding how many books the series should be? I'm plotting my story and not sure how to split it up into how many books if I decide it's too much for a stand alone. Do I just go with trilogy? Thought there...

How can I streamline my editing process?

"How can I make my editing process quicker and less stressful? I feel like I’m spending way too much time on it and not really getting anywhere, so I’d love some tips on how to keep it simple and actually productive." I think that most writers have a love/hate...

How Setting SMART Goals Can Make Your Writing Time More Productive

As writers, we dream big. Our goals are lofty, and because of that, they can often become overwhelming. We want to complete that novel, publish a collection of short stories, or write a groundbreaking work of non-fiction. But without a clear roadmap, these dreams...
How do you write an unreliable narrator?

How do you write an unreliable narrator?

"How do you write an unreliable narrator in a way that actually feels clever and not just confusing or annoying? I want readers to realize something’s off without hitting them over the head with it, and still keep them hooked enough to want to figure it out." I’m an...

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Revising your Novel: Playing in the Sandbox

Revising your Novel: Playing in the Sandbox

Before I wrote my novel, I scoured the internet, searching for facts about how to write one. I got all the books, I took all the seminars, and I attended all the events. I learned a lot about how to get started, how to write a first draft, and at the end, how to find...

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How do you stay motivated to write?

How do you stay motivated to write?

"I'm really struggling with motivation and haven't touched any of my WIPs in a couple weeks. Do you have any tips on staying motivated?" Every writer knows that feeling of demotivation, when the words just won't come, and opening your work-in-progress feels like an...

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How do I write dual timelines?

How do I write dual timelines?

“My story has two time lines, 2010 and 2024 Should i make theses two alternate?” Some of the most effective stories I’ve read move seamlessly between different time periods, weaving together narratives that span years or even centuries. Dual timelines can be a...

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