writing a novel

Dreaming of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group

It is that time of the month again! Come join us insecure writers as we forge a path towards our dreams. The main point of the group is to connect, reassure, and support your author journey, no matter what it looks like. We meet on the first Wednesday of every month. Come on in! The co-hosts we should offer our thanks to for July are PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre! Go check in on their comment sections and add…

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Breaking Down a Romance Plot

For this post, let’s break down a well known romance plot to see where the story beats are going. This is an exercise I’d really recommend for authors of any genre. Take your favorite story, or movie, and break it down to see how they made everything work. You’ll be surprised how much it helps you break down your own story! And yes, this is the movie I’m turning into plot points, but it still translates to novel form. Beauty…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Gets Gritty

It must be the first Wednesday of June, because here I am posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. In addition to the delight of many silly gifs in this post literally no one asked for, you get me as a co-host for the IWSG, along with the wonderful Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguirre, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray! And our question for this first day of June is:  When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to…

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What I Thought Author Life Would Be Like vs. What it’s Actually Like

What I thought it would be like: Writing retreats full of discourse, stimulating discussions, plotting, and lots of other authors. What it’s actually like: #You’reTooPoor #SillyAuthor #RetreatsAreForBestSellers What I thought it would be like: Ideas lining up, falling neatly into their places, everything is flowing and glorious and ticking along like pure, perfect, writing clockwork. What it’s actually like: EVER HEARD OF SLEEPING, Ideas? GIVE ME A BREAK. What I thought it would be like: Editing, DONE. Polishing? This baby…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Crafty Craft Books

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day and guess what, it’s the first Wednesday in August! Post your thoughts, talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered, discuss your struggles and triumphs, and offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Every month…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Didn’t Raise No Quitter

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group meets online the first Wednesday of every month to share, commiserate, and encourage each other. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! You can sign up for the group yourself by going here. The awesome co-hosts for the July 7 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, and Louise – Fundy Blue! And the IWSG chose to go straight for the superior vena cava today with the question: What would make you quit…

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Why Titles are Literally the Worst

Inquiring authors want to know: What’s harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names? (It’s me. I’m inquiring authors.) My answer: Titles. Titles are the hardest thing ever. Titles are horrible, nasty, no good, very bad, brain-killing beasts. Compared to titles, naming my characters is a breeze. And not like, a fourteen-kilometer-per-hour windstorm breeze, one of those gentle zephyr kind. So many options, all of them easy breezy. I can use names I like the sound…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Getting Shelved

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting! The awesome co-hosts for the June 2 posting…

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Author Life: Putting a Book on Draft2Digital

We’re starting out with the first, basic baby-steps to independent authoring. Well, no. The actual first step is to finish a book. Truly finish not just hit 60K, write “the end”, and shove that sucker out of the nest all bare-assed without even pinfeathers. Your book must hatch: cheep loudly demanding brainworms until you think you may well lose your mind: require hand-fed edits and critiques to grow: regurgitate some re-writes: and get a few more edits just to be…

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