The first step for savvy storytellers. Writing a novel or memoir without an outline is like driving without GPS: destinations become murky, and chances are the journey will take a lot longer than needed. This outline template will help you clarify: Your characters’ developmental arcs. Have you introduced the central figure effectively? Is the external action … Continued
Passive vs. Active Characters: From Zero to Hero From romance to Russian Lit, and memoir to middle-grade, almost all bestselling stories are centered around active protagonists. Understanding the difference between passive vs. active characters is vital in terms of reader engagement and commercial viability. So why are active characters so important? Let’s start by looking … Continued
And hook the reader from page one… The first step to writing a great novel is introducing us to a compelling character; i.e. someone we can understand and empathize with. If our introduction to the character falls flat, it doesn’t matter how engaging or complex the protagonist later proves to be, the reader won’t be … Continued
How to recognize a great romance editor, and get the most out of their services. Romance editors: it might be hard to find one who embodies all of the attributes below (I’m not sure I do!) but these tips will help you navigate your way to the romance editor of your dreams. Alternatively, if you already … Continued
Guest Post by internationally bestselling author, Joanne Fedler. Aspiring writers sometimes ask me, ‘How can I write like you?’ The answer is, ‘You don’t want to write like me, you want to write like you. You want to find your writing voice, and that will be nothing like mine.’ But I get what people are really … Continued
When receiving your first ‘track changes’ document, you’re often faced with a jungle of blood-red lines, a rash of bubbles and pointy arrows that leave your thinking your baby’s been hacked at by savages. But once the initial horror has passed, it’s important to learn more about this fabulous feature. Microsoft Word’s track changes is … Continued