The most productive time of my writing life was spent on a rural island in Greece called Thassos. It was literary magic. But when I returned home, my writing suffered. I needed to find a way to recreate the amazing writing productivity in my own backyard. I thought I needed the island, but I really needed a structured freedom to write, a life inspiring enough to write about, time to let my brain be free, good books to study, and a community to guide and inspire me. These are the necessary ingredients to a productive writing life. And these are what YOU need if you want to make a productive writing life for yourself.
Read moreEverything You'd Ever Need to Write a Novel: The ULTIMATE Novel Packing List
Perhaps you're ready to attack Camp NaNoWriMo next month or classic NaNoWriMo in November. Perhaps you're just embarking on your own personal writing quest on your own schedule. The truth is, you want to write a novel, and that's awesome! You're about to do an amazing thing. It's going to be difficult. It's going to be a challenge. But it's going to be well worth it. Before you get started with your novel, you have to be prepared. There's a lot of time, effort, and energy that go into writing a novel, so you want to make sure you're well-equipped for whatever's going to happen. This is the ultimate packing list of everything you'll need to write your novel.
Read moreWhat to Do When You're in a Funky Creative Rut with Writing
Sometimes your writing life is not productive. Sometimes you get yourself into a funky creative rut, a state of "un", where things are just not going your way. It's easy to get frustrated and depressed when this happens, and it sucks. But you're not alone. These low-points are normal in life, and they're only temporary. Learn how to deal with your creative rut appropriately and get out of it so you can get back to accomplishing your wildest writing dreams.
Read moreWomen Writers Have it Harder: Do You Know What You're Up Against?
Did you know that men get published more than women? They also win more awards and get more reviews. Did you know that women's literature gets categorized differently than men's? This is a problem. Now, I'm not going on a feminist rant, don't worry. But there are some facts you should know, and you should know how to deal with being a "female writer" in today's publishing world.
Read moreDoes Your Novel's Genre Matter? How to Fuse Genre and Literary Fiction to Create a Strong Story
There's an ongoing war between literary fiction and genre. They're placed at odds with each other, a black or white fight to who's better. But in fact, there's a BIG gray area. In order to write a Real+Good Story, you need to know the actual differences between the two, how they're made up of the same stuff with different levels of emphasis, and how you can cater to that in your novel so your reader is satisfied. Plus, I made you a workbook that asks you the right questions about your novel so you can fuse genre conventions and literary conventions to write the best story possible.
Read moreAn Open Letter to My Novel (+Why You Should Write Your Own)
Your novel is a complex, emotional thing. You can't fight it forever. If you're having issues, writing a letter to it that expresses your frustrations, admits your faults, and finds an appropriate solution to move forward may be just the thing to get your back on track. It worked for me. Read my letter and why it's important to treat your novel like you're in a relationship with it.
Read moreHow to Approach Your Novel: Thinking about YOUR Process for Big Things
With so many resources out there telling you how to write your novel and how to write at all, it's easy to feel like you HAVE to do things a certain way. But the only person who knows what's best for you is you. So what SHOULD you do? Step #1: Figure out what you know about how you approach big things. I tried considering what I do in two separate case-studies of "big things" I've tackled in the past, and it illuminated a process that I didn't know I had. Here's what I learned, how you can figure out your own process, and apply it to your current work-in-progress.
Read more5 Ways to Stick with Your Novel When You Feel Like Giving Up
You started your novel with Motivation! Excitement! Power! And now you're feeling... anything besides that. You believed in this project at one point, and you don't want to quit on it now, but you've got to find a way to reignite your passion. Here's 5 quick tips that will get you refocused on your novel, recommitted to it, and ready to write, so you can make your writing dreams a reality.
Read more6 Ways to Quit Pressuring Your Writing to Succeed
Do you feel the pressure to publish something NOW? To be validated as a writer? To have "accomplished" something? Don't let the "NOW" pressure your writing, or else you'll get overwhelmed, you'll paralyze your process, and your writing will suck. Learn how to retrain your thinking, fight back those insecurities, and feel confident with your writing.
Read moreThe Relationship Between Truth and Fiction: Does it Matter if You Write Autobiographical Fiction?
Was your story inspired by real events, real people, real life? This can often make your story seem authentic, but how much "you" is too much "you" in your story? Where do you draw the line? Fiction and truth are not mutually exclusive. Learn how they can work together to make your story truly shine.
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