**This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on a link in this article, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Writing a novel can sometimes feel like trying to find your way through a maze without a map. You may know how your story begins and have…
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The 3-Act Structure Explained for Fiction Writers
If you have ever reached the middle of a novel and wondered, What happens next?, you are not alone. Even writers who begin with a strong premise and interesting characters can struggle to keep a story moving from beginning to end. One of the simplest tools for creating a solid…
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How to Self-Edit Your First Draft Without Losing Your Mind
Finishing the first draft of a book is an incredible accomplishment. You made it from a blank page to a complete story, and that alone deserves to be celebrated. But once the excitement settles, another question usually appears: Now what? Before you send your manuscript to beta readers, an editor,…
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Plotting vs. Pantsing: Which Writing Method Works Best?
Every writer has a different way of getting a story from the first spark of an idea to the final page. Some writers cannot imagine beginning a novel without a detailed outline. Others would rather discover the story as they write it. These two approaches are commonly known as plotting…
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How to Celebrate Small Writing Wins
Writing a book, building a blog, or simply trying to become a stronger writer can feel like an enormous undertaking. We often focus so much on the finished product—a completed manuscript, a publishing contract, a certain number of readers, or a successful book launch—that we overlook everything we accomplish along…
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How to Know You Are Growing as a Writer
Writing growth can be difficult to recognize. There is no report card, promotion, or finish line that suddenly confirms you have become a better writer. In fact, the more you learn about writing, the more aware you may become of your weaknesses. Instead of feeling accomplished, you might begin noticing…
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15 Common Plot Holes and How to Fix Them
Few things pull readers out of a story faster than a plot hole. A plot hole occurs when part of a story contradicts established information, ignores an obvious solution, or depends on characters behaving in ways that do not make sense. Some plot holes are small enough that readers may…
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How to Write a Slow Burn Romance Readers Cannot Put Down
Slow burn romance is one of the most satisfying romance tropes—when it is done well. Instead of having the characters fall into a relationship immediately, a slow burn romance allows attraction, trust, and emotional intimacy to develop gradually. Readers notice every lingering look, accidental touch, private conversation, and moment of…
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How to Keep Writing When No One is Reading Yet
This is the hardest thing as a writer. You want to write and love to write, but no one is finding your work. It can seem like a very lonely road in the beginning. When I first started writing, I really didn’t have an audience. For the most part, writing…
Writing
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Why First Drafts Are Supposed to Be Messy
There is something intimidating about a blank page. Before a single word is written, the story feels perfect in your head. The characters are vivid. The scenes are emotional. The dialogue sounds natural. The plot makes sense. Then you sit down to write, and somehow the beautiful idea in your…