Do you want to write a story about a character who wants to improve their social or economic position?  In this post, I’m going to cover the ten genre conventions that must be present in your status story to satisfy readers and to write a story that works. I’m also going to show you how these co...

Every book needs editing. And if we’re being honest, editing your own work is nearly impossible. But don’t worry, this is where professional book editors come in! Working with a good editor can help you take your book from good to great. And not only that, but a good editor can also help you imp...

Last week, I got an email from a writer that said, "I really want to make a career out of writing fiction, but to do so, I know I can't spend two years working on the same novel. Do you have any advice for how I can finish a novel faster while still maintaining its quality?" And I love this ques...

Almost every writer struggles with imposter syndrome at one point or another. Usually, this looks like getting stuck somewhere in the process and asking things like, "Who am I to even write a book? What will people think? What if I finish it and it's terrible?" Can you relate? I know I can. I've...

Did you know that over 80% of adults want to write a book but only 3% ever get to 'The End' of a draft? That means that 97% of people who want to write a book never finish. Why is that? In this post, I'm we're going to explore why so many novels go unfinished, and what you can do to ensure you f...

How do you start writing a book? Are there certain things you should think about first, second, and third? If you're anything like the writers I work with, you've probably wondered some version of these questions at one point or another. In this post, I'm going to walk you through five questions...

If you want to buy a house or a car, it's common practice to create some kind of strategic plan for getting there, right? You save up some money, you do some research, and eventually, you accomplish your goal -- you buy the house, or you buy the car. So, why is it that when it comes to writing, ...

Do you ever wish you could peek inside of another person's writing life? In today's podcast episode and blog post, I thought it would be fun to share some of the key takeaways I learned from coaching writers this year. My hope is that you'll be able to reap some of the benefits from these 'a-h...

What should you do if you get stuck while writing a novel? I've had a lot of writers reach out to me via email or in my private Facebook group asking this exact question. It’s also something that happens to all of us at one time or another -- we all get stuck at some point int he writing process...

Have you ever written a scene that feels lackluster or lifeless? Do you wish there was a quick and easy way to determine whether or not a scene works? Well, you're in luck because, in today's post, I'm going to show you how to use the concept of value shifts at the scene level to help you wri...

Happy #Preptober everyone! 🎃👻 I love this time of year. You get to dress in cozy layers, drink hot tea and coffee all day, decorate for Halloween, and consume all things pumpkin spice and cinnamon!  But besides all that, it's also a month of intense preparation for any writer who's planning to ...

In today’s post, I’m going to show you how to use the Hero’s Journey to map out your novel. If you aren’t familiar with the Hero’s Journey, it’s a popular story structure template that subdivides the beginning, middle, and end of a story into 12 stages. Each of these stages has a specific pu...