NaNoWriMo is on the horizon again, starting November 1. The global attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days is a lot of things: invigorating, challenging, and inspirational, to name a few. But it can also be grueling, disappointing, and a reas...
Discovery writers, or write-by-the-seat-of-their-pantsers, may shy away from anything that looks too much like outlining or planning. That includes story structures–surely the idea is to fit your story into the structure before you start writing? Shu...
I’ve written about Pacemaker before, but this will be a more comprehensive overview. There are more and more apps out there that help you track what you’ve already done. Where Pacemaker shines is that it helps you plan how much you need to/can write....
This is one of those things that drove me batty until I figured a way to fix it. Scrivener is amazing, even with its limitations. (Still waiting on Scrivener 3 for Windows… *sob*) Screenshots are for Scrivener 1 on Windows. When compiling your docume...
I published The Monster Novel Structure Workbook in September 2018, and it’s been quite a ride. A tough, scary, and rewarding ride. I stretched my skill sets, took risks, and have heard from a lot of readers how the book has helped them right their o...
A while back I got a comment wishing for a reusable Monster Worksheet, the primary tool for my Monster Novel Structure Workbook. I love this idea, so I researched the options. My first thought was to see what custom-printed white boards would cost. T...
With all this pandemic stuff going on I’ve had to postpone my plans for a print edition of The Monster Novel Structure Workbook. It’s something people wanted, and I promise it will happen one day when the shipping companies aren’t so overwhelmed. In...
Changes are coming to The Monster Novel Structure Workbook! I’m not doing a big launch event or anything, I’m just quietly making these updates and letting them ride. This post details all the yummy new shinies. Plans For a Print Edition I polled my...
There’s a big question on every writer’s mind as the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic sets in. What does COVID-19 mean for our writing? Let’s not beat around the bush. Our lives have changed drastically, or will soon. This is not an isolated phenomen...
Before each round of Author Mentor Match (a program that matches kidlit and adult writers with mentors–next round open Feb 13th, 2020!) the previously selected mentees volunteer to do query critiques for hopefuls. I always do this, because I love giv...
