Word magic.
Writing fiction for self-publishing authors, as well as aspiring authors
Nervous about writing fiction? Serial fiction may be a good option for you because serials are written as part-works: in episodes. You’re not faced with writing 60,000 words straight… You can write five or ten thousand words and it’s done. OK, at this stage you’re wondering… What if there’s zero reaction to your first episode. Oddly enough, not only is … Read more
One of my students told me she was in first draft hell. She said: “I’ve got three novels, all first drafts. How do I turn them into something publishable? Maybe I should just delete them.” No, I assured her. DO NOT delete anything. In fact, kudos to you for a lot of brain power, effort, and just plain work. Look … Read more
When you write fiction, beginning each new novel is a fresh challenge because you’re starting from nothing. Your blank computer screen can be terrifying. One of my writing students called me in a panic. “I haven’t written anything new in four months! What do I do? I need to create a publishing schedule.” She’d become so involved with marketing her … Read more
Here’s a popular question about writing short stories: “how do I get ideas for them?” Although the usual answer is “you can find ideas anywhere”, this isn’t helpful. Of course, ideas are everywhere, but you want ideas which fit the form. Authors expect that there’s a trick to finding these ideas. As far as I’m aware, there’s no “trick” as … Read more
