• There are two different camps writers fall into when it comes to how much writing goes into the first draft. There are those who choose a skeleton draft...

    The First Draft: Skeleton Draft or Bulging Draft

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    Just like there are two different types of plotting styles—plotting and pantsing—there are also two different camps writers fall into when it comes to how much writing goes into the first draft. There are writers who choose a skeleton draft, meaning they put the bones of their stories down during the first draft and then use subsequent drafts and rounds of revisions to continue to grow and fill out their manuscript until it’s complete. Other writers aim to put anything and everything down on paper during the first round, which is typically a bulging draft and way over word count.…

  • With most of the world still practicing social distancing, Christmas letters are the way to go this year. Try these tips to spice up yours ...

    5 Tips for Writing Christmas Letters

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    With most of the world still practicing social distancing, Christmas letters, cards, or emails are the way to go this year. Looking for ways to spice up the same-old, typical Christmas greeting? Try these tips for a sparkling holiday letter. 1. Begin on a positive note. Make sure your Christmas letters start with a cheerful bang, not the common statement about how quick the year has gone by. Even a typical “Holiday greetings from the Blank family!” is a better opener than the traditional cry about the passage of time. 2. Keep it short and sweet. Keep your Christmas letter short,…

  • This holiday season, refine your writing and record your memories with these creative writing ideas! Here are 10 Christmas-themed creative writing prompts:

    It’s Here! Christmas Writing Prompts

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    We create so many memories during the Christmas season–from little to big moments, happy to sad memories, and first and last times–it can be very easy for some to end up forgotten. That’s where these creative writing prompts (and hopeful new holiday tradition) will come in handy. Writing is one of those skills that you can always improve and you should always practice. This holiday season, refine your skill and record your memories with these creative writing ideas!  Here are 10 Christmas-themed creative writing prompts: A story of the first memory that comes to mind when you hear the word…

  • Thousands have credited NaNoWriMo in helping them finish a writing project. Here are 10 ways you can get a jump start and be prepared for NaNoWriMo...

    10 Ways to Prepare for NaNoWriMo

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    We’re a few weeks out from the biggest novel writing challenge of the year: National Novel Writing Month! Every November, writers from around the world dedicate themselves to cranking out a 50,000-word first draft manuscript in 30 days. Tons of writers have gone on to publish their books after the challenge, and thousands have credited the process to help them finish a writing project that’s been sitting on their hearts for years. If this is the year you’ve decided to write your novel, you still have plenty of time to finish the first draft before the end of the year,…