Category: writing
-
The Non-Rules of NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) whips aspiring writers up to writing a 50,000 word draft of a novel in the month of November. I’ve been doing it off and on for ten years and I have about a fifty-percent success rate. By success, I mean I finish 50,000 words by November’s end. I can tell…
-
Friday’s Findings: 10.05.18
Here are some articles on writing I’ve read lately: 10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them What Is Purple Prose? And How to Avoid It The Hardest Thing with Writing Your Novel Journey How to write a positive change character arc
-
NaNoWriMo on the Horizon …
A warning: I’m going to vent a little in the first half of this blog posting, but I’m offering up some NaNoWriMo advice in the second half. First, I want to mention something I’ve noticed about haters of NaNoWriMo. They just don’t get it. NaNoWriMo haters assume it’s about getting published. “Most NaNoWriMo participants never…
-
The Prequels of the Maze Runner
My Reading: Past, Present and Future 09.19.18 Past: The Kill Zone (audio) by James Dashner Past: The Fever Code (audio) by James Dashner I read the Maze Runner series (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure) a couple of years ago, and finally I got around to listening to the two prequels…
-
Tension: using dialogue to tighten the cord
“Small disagreements add up to show characters’ differences (of opinion, desire, mood).” –Writing tense dialogue: 5 ways to add arresting tension To me, dialogue is the most fun part of writing fiction, but it is also the hardest part. It is a writer’s tool for creating humor, sub-text, suspense and surprise among many fictional elements.…
-
Inject some adrenaline into your writing craft
When I feel stuck in a rut with my writing, I will try one or two actions to inject some adrenaline into my writing craft. I’m still working on my W.I.P. but I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo throughout November just to give me a break. Here are some other things I do: Read a…
-
Friday’s Findings: 09.14.18
I’ve discovered theme does not arrive in the rough draft. You may have an idea of what the theme of your story is, but it will be refined with each revision. When you finally are satisfied with your theme, you can use it as a standard for which scenes to keep and which to delete.…
-
Why NaNoWriMo?
I have decided to take a month-long break from my work-in-progress (WIP) and rediscover the excitement of creating an all-new story. Yes, I am going to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). In case you don’t know, November is NaNoWriMo. Click here if you are unfamiliar with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Ten years…
-
Friday’s Findings: 09.07.18
Here are some articles on writing I’ve read lately: How to Write a Fight Scene How to Choose Setting with a Purpose 6 Book Publicity Ideas for Today’s Author Writing While Uninspired 10 Ways To Get Reviews For Your Book
Andrew M. Friday 