Do you have editing fatigue? Trouble getting motivated? Can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? Try these five easy steps to pull you through the editing process! Read more…
There are many traps that can scupper your chances of completing an epic. Here are some that are bothering me at the mo. Read more…
Like it or not, a writer’s livelihood depends on getting stuff out the door. But what is best? A meticulous, or rapid production cycle? Read more…
You’d be forgiven for thinking the New Year is an energising time for all the way blogs and podcasts talk about it. But for some of us it can be enervating instead, making us weary when we should feel refreshed. It doesn’t have to be this way! Read more…
I like to think of every post as a little gift to my readers, but as it’s Christmas, this week you can download something you can use right away! Read more…
I’m starting a new project, and I’m apprehensive. I’ve stalled on projects because I realise I’ve not done enough planning. So this time I will do more outlining. But there could be a problem… Read more…
Feel your story is bloated or confused? Maybe that was your last story, and you don’t want the same to happen again. Try these easy techniques to keep your plot on track. Read more…
Ah, editing! Be you ever so rife with problems! So in this post we have more editing woes, this time about decisions made in the first draft that seemed convenient, but didn’t serve the story. How they were solved and how they could have been avoided below… Read more…
After weeks of ignoring it, some more weeks of thinking about it, and finally some weeks re-planning it and filling out some details, I have returned with gusto to my work in progress. It feels good. Read more…
Let me paint you a picture. It might be one you recognise. You’re nearing the end of your first draft, coming to the amazing climax you’ve been eager to write. But a subtle confusion about the whole thing is taking the wind out of your sails a bit. There’s a problem. Actually, there’s a few. You were vaguely aware of them before, but now they’re rearing up and getting all in yo’ grill, refusing to be ignored any longer.
The villain is villainous, but you’re not sure why they’re being so mean; you’ve invented a fun piece of technology, but it doesn’t serve the story in any way; another piece of tech gives you a great ‘get out of jail free card’ at the end, but you’ve no idea why someone would invent it in the first place; you’ve got at least two characters you don’t know what to do with…
In short, it’s all sort of there, but nothing quite fits together properly. Well, shizzle my dizzle, you may well say to yourself, I’ve got myself in a right pizzle here and no mistake. Read more…