How to Turn a Big Writing Project Into Small Assignments You Can Finish in One Sitting
Breaking a large writing project into smaller assignments can make it much easier to actually get started. Learn how to turn tasks like “write Chapter 4” into focused assignments you can finish in a single writing session.
How to Restart a Novel After a Two-Month Break Without Rewriting Everything
Coming back to a novel after a long break can make you question everything you wrote. Find your way back into the story, identify what actually needs fixed, and start writing again without unnecessarily rewriting your entire draft.
When Your Story Feels Too Big to Finish: How to Shrink It Into Pieces You Can Write
Sometimes long projects lead to a feeling of dread when you sit down to write. Instead of seeing a chapter, you see an entire novel. That sounds great. But in reality, it can be crippling, because instead of focusing on the scene you need to write today, you brain pinpoints every unresolved subplot, every character […]
Why January is the Best Month to Outline (Even if You Hate Outlining)
Outlining tends to split writers into camps. Some rely on it to feel grounded. Others avoid it entirely, convinced it will drain the life out of a story before it ever reaches the page. If you fall into the second group, January can feel like the worst possible time to hear someone suggest outlining. You […]
Layering Conflict to Bring Your Draft to Life
A lot of new writers (and even some who’ve been at it a while) get stuck with a half-finished manuscript because their stories lack the magnetic pull that keeps readers flipping pages late into the night. Their characters are going nowhere, or their plot feels stuck in the mud. The fix isn’t anything new or […]
Time Jumps Made Easy: How to Write Nonlinear Narratives That Flow
If you’ve ever read a book with a nonlinear narrative, you either loved it or you hated it. And if you loved it, chances are you’ve been entertaining the thought of doing the same in one of your own projects, but have been waiting for the right one. Nonlinear narratives are great for exploring themes, […]