Revising a novel gives me the same dread I felt when writing the saggy middle of my story. I was standing at the beginning of an unending cracked desert and had no idea how to get to the other side. Mouth goes dry. As does every impulse. But in order to get from a crappy first draft to a polished manuscript, you have to go through the storm—the parts that hold your story together, the big stuff. Luckily, I've pieced this process into three steps that keep me sane.
On Writing Romance: The Real Secret to Fixing Your Novel (Hint: It’s Not the Grammar)
Maybe you have the meet-cute down, but struggled with the climax (ooh-la-la). Maybe your characters have wit but lack chemistry. Maybe the chemistry is hot, but the plot is lukewarm. Maybe you’re incredibly frustrated with not knowing what to revise. Or maybe you’re the opposite: You have a solid novel with just a few kinks. Whatever your writing woes entail, one thing is certain...
3 Types of Protagonists That Can Sustain a Story –Which Type Do You Have?
If you read my previous blog post on how to create your cast of characters, then you're ready to concentrate more on what type of protagonist you’re dealing with.
How to Build Characters in Fiction Writing – The Starting Point
When I think about good stories, stories that last with me long after the last page was turned, it’s often the characters that stick with me. I feel I could know them inside and out as much as the people in my life. What they like and hate, how they would react to any situation, and the key to their happiness.