How do you know when you’ve reached the end? When the main story goal or quest has been completed. What if you don’t have one of those? You may have lots of interesting “vignettes” or episodes or scenes. Some of them may not even include your main character – the one who […]
There’s nothing worse than getting through a good novel that fizzles out or doesn’t go anywhere. Many authors can create an intriguing first few chapters, but fail with a weak final battle scene that seems flat or two dimensional. This video will help you make sure you conclusion is epic. Everything in your […]
This video is week six of my 12-week course on novel writing. This week you’ll be writing towards the midpoint of your novel. In this section (exploring the new world) you’ll be focused on developing your protagonist’s sense of self-identity in relation to the new characters, plot events or information, scenes or settings, or new […]
This is part of my 12 week course on writing novels; this week we’ll be writing the first act, up to the ‘point of no return’. PS… I made a video but the video part broke, so it’s just sound. Try to focus on what’s happening – not the why, who or how. Avoid […]
A great novel has two parts: 1. story – what happens 2. drama – why it matters. Far too many authors screw this up in the beginning with boring backstory and information, which takes away all the intrigue and suspense; or by not including enough conflict (which is different than violence or action). This video, […]
Update: you can now download this in-depth plotting template in Word, Google docs or Scrivener. There’s also an advanced video walkthrough. Check it out here (free download). Download this template: https://www.creativindie.com/plot-out… Write better books, faster. This is an introduction to the critical plotting scenes and turning points you need to include in Act […]
This video is an introduction to my 8 point “plot dot” guide to outlining your novel. These are the 8 major turning points that keep momentum, suspense and tension. Without them, your book may not convince readers to keep turning the pages. Watch all the videos (complete series) on YouTube If you don’t have time […]
Every time I help a new author edit their book I comment on the same issues. And even though I’ve spent years talking about book marketing and publishing, recently I’ve been focused on the craft of actually writing books readers love, because the truth is – most authors make predictable writing errors in the first few pages. […]
1. Three favorite books that inspire your writing. Corduroy by Don Freeman Christy by Catherine Marshall Once in a Lifetime by Danielle Steel 2. What you do when you’re not writing. I stitch bookmarks, knit, quilt, crochet, paint ceramics, read, and watch my favorite movies and TV shows. 3. The hardest thing about […]
1. Three favorite books that inspire your writing. Chill Factor by Sandra Brown Naked in Death by J.D. Robb Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman 2. What you do when you’re not writing. When I’m not writing, I am usually doing something related to being an author, such as marketing, doing presentations at local […]
