In the last post on story structure, we went over the second story milestone – the Inciting Incident. As a reminder, the Inciting Incident is an event that upsets the balance of your protagonist’s life, gives rise to their object/s of desire, and foreshadows the story’s...

How do you get readers to keep reading past the first page of your novel?

With all the books available to them in bookstores and online, it’s more important now than ever to immediately capture your reader’s interest and give them a reason to buy or read your book over someone...

Whether I’m editing a client’s manuscript, studying one of my favorite books or movies, or editing my own work-in-progress, the main thing I want to know is – does this story work? And for those of you that are starting new stories or editing your own drafts, I’m sure...

How do you start writing a book?

Is there something you should do first, second, and third?

As a developmental editor and book coach, I get asked questions like this all the time. And each time someone asks me what to do first, my answer is the same – first, you need to...

How many words are typically in a fantasy novel? What about a steamy romance? Or a nail-biting thriller?

When you’re starting a new writing project, how do you know how long your book should be?

And why does word count matter anyway? Is this really something you need to pay attention to?

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Every book needs editing. And if we’re being honest, editing your own work is nearly impossible. That’s where professional book editors come in.

Working with an experienced book editor is one of the best investments you can make for your book and your writing career.

Why? Because...