Books
Why Writers Should Consider Revising Slower To Improve Manuscript Quality
There are plenty of fast writers out there that can rival Stephen King’s ability to complete any manuscript length in three months. Many aspiring authors, debut novelists, and those trying to land book deals get inspired by King and other fast writers. The one thing we all forget is that the man’s been writing since 1967!
Fifty-five years is longer than some of us have been alive. I mention King because he’s one of my all-time favorite authors. His writing advice is a favorite in the #writingcommunity. Many writers turn to King’s well-known memoir “On Writing” and dogmatically attempt to practice his advice on how much time a first draft should take.
“The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season,” King has famously advised.
Read the rest of this entry »Why I’ve Become a Cynical Writer & Expect Zero Compliments
Writing isn’t only a lonely endeavor but a thankless task. Many people who aren’t writers are often the most judgmental, and you see this in the countless negative reviews on Goodreads.
Read the rest of this entry »Writing Morally Grey Characters
One of the biggest concerns us aspiring authors have is whether or not our audience connects with our protagonist or our cast of characters, for that matter. Did we make a likable character? Did our readers care about the character enough to keep reading?
Read the rest of this entry »#AmEditing: Using Kindle To Revise Your #WIP
Every writer has a different method when it comes to editing their WIP. Some writers insist on printing pages. Though, I have found Kindle to be a great tool that can help during revisions. How can Kindle be a great asset to the editing process?
First off, let’s answer the bigger question: Why is it important for a writer to get better at editing their own manuscript?
Read the rest of this entry »#EditingTip: Benefits of Beta Readers & How To Work With Them
Writing a novel isn’t the hardest part; it’s the entire process that can be time-consuming. Editing takes up the biggest chunk of time because it’s more than spell checking and grammar. It’s also getting feedback. Reading your work to yourself isn’t enough. Having additional eyes on our work is one of the most valuable aspects of the editing process.
Good beta readers and critique partners can be hard but not impossible to find. Luckily, social media has opened up a great window of opportunity for writers to connect. Twitter has a dense #writingcommunity that is very supportive. There are also large groups of beta readers and critique partners on Facebook. Joining a group can be very helpful and the first step toward getting more perspectives on your writing.
Writing With Hope 