Are you a plotter or pantser? Plotters plan out the scenes in their novels, pantsers fly by the seat of their pants. The saying comes from aviation. One can fly a plane two ways: using one’s instruments or using one’s instincts. Every year during NaNo, participants claim one or the other. I encourage you to...Read More
Every November thousands of otherwise normal people give up their spare time and write a 50,000-word novel in a month. The challenge is called National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo for short. Some participants are published writers who do this every day on their own but appreciate the camaraderie. Others are new writers who hope their...Read More
I grew up on fantasy novels like L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time and Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Just a few weeks ago, I cozied up with Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (amazing!). This post reminds me that it might be time for me to delve into some grown-up fantasy...Read More
Dear Writers, It’s time to plan for National Novel Writing Month, and I can help! Tomorrow at the Write Now! Mastermind class, I’ll be talking to Angela Ackerman about building great characters. If you’re not signed up yet, you can do so here. If you need even more help, check out Angela Ackerman’s post Building...Read More
Are you ready to NaNo? If not, I can help! Next week, I’ll be welcoming Angela Ackerman to the Write Now! Mastermind class to talk about Character Creation: Forging an Unforgettable Hero. We’ll meet next Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at 12:00 PM CDT (Think Chicago) to talk about building great characters. If you’re not yet signed up, you can...Read More
If you’re a NaNoWriMo participant or wannabe, you know that we’re counting down the days to the 2013 challenge with lots of blog posts to help you prepare. Next Tuesday, I’ll be offering a chance to win a copy of my book, Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It)....Read More
How does a novelist remember all those details about character and plot? I’ve been working with a teenaged client who’s writing an epic tale. He predicts the story will take seven books to tell. And, of course, with that much story, he’s also got a complicated plot, multiple characters, and a variety of settings. At...Read More
When I first spoke with Katherine several years ago, she was living in France. Though she described her house as old and drafty, I envied her romantic life—living and working in the French countryside. She was working on a book, translating a journal and other French-language documents as part of her research. I was amazed....Read More
Note From Rochelle Dear Writers, I just looked at the calendar and realized that National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) starts three weeks from Friday. Yikes! That means, it’s time to start planning! If you’re thinking about joining the NaNoWriMo mayhem, then keep reading these tips. Every Tuesday from now until November, I’ll be sharing writing exercises...Read More
We are responsible for the effort, not the outcome. —Unknown I once heard a doctor from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin say that they cannot guarantee outcomes, but they can guarantee that the medical staff will give 100 percent effort. When writing is not going well, rejection letters are flowing in or, worse yet, you hear...Read More
