• Working on your manuscript? Here is a post discussing The Art of Fast-Drafting Your Novel.

    The Art of Fast-Drafting Your Novel

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    Writers tend to fall into two camps regarding how much time it takes to finish drafting a book. There are those who can take upwards of 10 years to write their manuscripts. Then, there are those who fast-draft their manuscripts in as little as 14 days. While no clear-cut rules exist for fast-drafting a manuscript, writers who use the technique know what it takes to get as many words on paper in as little time as possible. What is the secret sauce to churning out a fast-drafted manuscript in less than one month? Aside from proactive preparation and a well-planned…

  • Learning How to Take Constructive Criticism

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    There’s a first time for everything I can still remember my first real exposure to constructive criticism of my writing. Sophomore year of college, I received my first C+ on a paper in my entire educational career. Immediately, I rationalized the grade had to be a mistake. I read the remarks my professor left on each of the eight pages I’d written, and I grew defensive and angry. Preparing myself with counterpoints, I scheduled a meeting during office hours to argue my stance with him. Before I had the chance to challenge his grading, my professor hit me hard with…

  • New Year, Old You: Restarting a Failed Writing Resolution. A few tips to getting back on track with your New Year's resolutions, specifically on writing.

    New Year, Old You: Restarting a Failed Writing Resolution

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      Less than two months ago, many of us took the time to write out long lists of New Year’s resolutions. We dreamed of becoming the next Bob Goff or Shauna Niequist—not only finishing the writing and publishing process, but also seeing our books at the top of bestseller lists. The reality for many, however, is strikingly different: Most New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. If you haven’t touched your computer in a week or the last “date modified” on your work in progress shows you haven’t accessed the file since January—don’t fret. You can still…

  • Multiple Narrators, One Story, No Sweat!

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    You can find it in fiction, non-fiction, even in cookbooks: more than one person narrating different portions of the book to offer various perspectives, beliefs and even manners of speaking (or writing in this case). If an author were interested in utilizing multiple narrators in his/her story, there needs to be considerations made to display the differences between the narrators. You don’t want many people supposedly narrating the story, but it appear only one person is describing the events of the story. As you craft your narration, think about the ages of the narrators. One example I came across while…