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Why Novelists Should Write Outlines Just Like Screenwriters

Outlines: For Or Against?  It seems every writer has an opinion on outlines! But often writers will fall into two camps … Those who do write outlines and those who don’t. Generally speaking, novelists who do outline tend to advocate the practice as the ‘common sense’ approach. Their outlines may be super-detailed or broad strokes.  The uber-organised authors may even use spreadsheets to keep track of every minute detail in their book … or they may use bullet points, notes to self or similar instead. In contrast, novelists who don’t outline are often very loud online. Such writers like Stephen… Read More »Why Novelists Should Write Outlines Just Like Screenwriters

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Your Antagonist DOESN’T Have To Be A Villain. Here’s Why

All About The Villain Most writers ‘get’ the villain archetype intuitively. At their foundation, stories are often about ‘goodies and baddies’. Just like every story needs a protagonist, it usually needs an antagonist of some kind … … and that antagonist is nearly always a villain. A villain may have relatable and understandable motivations for their ‘evil plan’. We may invest in their journey every bit as much as the protagonist’s … Alternatively, they may just be evil because that’s their personality. They may be criminals, politicians, narcissists, abusers, serial killers, actual monsters … it doesn’t matter. The villain role… Read More »Your Antagonist DOESN’T Have To Be A Villain. Here’s Why

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How To Write A Protagonist Who Is A Total Asshole

Asshole, NOT Antihero So, you want to write a protagonist for your screenplay or novel that is a total asshole. There’s nothing wrong with doing this … but first, let’s identify what actually makes up an asshole protagonist. I’d first say an asshole character is NOT an antihero. As we know, antiheroes are in demand in the 2020s, both for male and female protagonists. An antihero is defined in the dictionary as simply ‘lacking traditional heroic attributes’. What this means is left open to interpretation. That said, since The Hero’s Journey is still super-popular, we can assume those traditional attributes are… Read More »How To Write A Protagonist Who Is A Total Asshole

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5 Reasons Why I Switched from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing

Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing Two years ago, I thought all my prayers had been answered after landing a traditional publishing deal for my uplifting trilogy of novels. However, upon regular bouts of pulling my hair out and eye rolls a-plenty, I quickly felt the siren call of self-publishing. I took the leap earlier this year. Why would I do such a thing? Read on . . . 1) Creative control You won’t be surprised to learn that, as an author, I am a creative beast. Emphasis on the word ‘beast’. Even though my previous publisher was a huge advocate for… Read More »5 Reasons Why I Switched from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing

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5 Tips From Authors Shortlisted In The 2021 Kindle Storyteller Awards

The 2021 Kindle Storyteller Award The shortlisted for the 2021 Kindle Storyteller Awards this year has been released. The award, now in its fifth year, celebrates newly-published independent books by authors across any genre. The Kindle Storyteller Awards is a £20,000 literary prize recognising outstanding writing. It is open to writers publishing in English in any genre, who publish their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. Readers play a significant role in selecting the winner, helped by a panel of judges including various book industry experts. The 2021 Kindle Storyteller Awards shortlist is made up of … Escape to Hummingbird Hotel by… Read More »5 Tips From Authors Shortlisted In The 2021 Kindle Storyteller Awards

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How To Build Your Self-Esteem As A Writer: 5 Top Tips

How To Build Your Self-Esteem You may think building your self-esteem as a writer is very difficult. Working as a professional writer can be challenging as there are so many talented writers all over the world. Being confident in what you do is one of the most important things you will need to excel. This means you need to build your self-esteem as quickly as possible. To help you overcome this feeling, here are some important steps to follow. These can help you you’re your self-esteem and become more confident in your writing skills. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Get… Read More »How To Build Your Self-Esteem As A Writer: 5 Top Tips

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5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Projects

Writing Torture Do you torture yourself as a writer? If you do, you’re not alone. Working with writers, I hear about all kinds of worries and insecurities they have on a DAILY basis. Hell, sometimes hourly! Obviously the kinds of things writers torture themselves about will depend on the individual. That said, I have noted some significant patterns over the years. Writers may even say the same phrases, again and again. With this in mind, I have rounded up the top five lies writers torture themselves with about their projects. Ready? then let’s go … 1) ‘I’m being STOPPED from… Read More »5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Projects

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How To Be A Wordsmith: 6 Writers Offer Their Top Tips

So You Want To Be A Wordsmith … It’s never been a better time to become a wordsmith. Whether you want to be a blogger, freelance writer, screenwriter, or author, there’s lots of information and tools online for you. If you want to be a wordsmith too, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled tips from some of the greatest writers on how to get started and succeed in writing! Let’s go … 1) Angie Thomas Angie Thomas is a well-known young adult novelist in the United States. She is best known for her novel The Hate U Give. Her… Read More »How To Be A Wordsmith: 6 Writers Offer Their Top Tips

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15 Words You Never Knew Came From Literature

Literary words Did you know a lot of the words we use came from literature? That’s right, writers don’t just use words, sometimes they INVENT them too! I’m a big fan of made-up words (though aren’t all words made up??).  I always look forward to hearing about the additions to the English dictionary. Last year ‘hellacious’ made it in, which I absolutely love … 2020 sure was that! Of course, we don’t always know where the words come from … but sometimes authors coin a word that is so fitting, it ends up part of our culutral lexicon. Check out the… Read More »15 Words You Never Knew Came From Literature

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How Not to Be Afraid of Criticism As A Writer

Criticism And Writers Criticism can scare writers. Every human has an inherent fear of stepping out of their comfort zone. Yet, this is exactly what every person needs to do in order to grow. This why you need to overcome your fear of criticism and start taking risks as a writer. Here’s my top tips on dealing with criticism. Let’s go! 1)   Acknowledge Impactful Work is Bound to Attract Admiration *and* Criticism Understanding that criticism is recognition for your work enables you to control how you handle feedback. You will no longer beat yourself up when people comment negatively about… Read More »How Not to Be Afraid of Criticism As A Writer

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10 Excruciating Mistakes Even Experienced Writers Make

Excruciating Mistakes So, you’ve been writing a while but there are still some excruciating mistakes you might make that could trip you up … Why ‘excruciating’? Because they’re SO EASY to avoid! 1) Weak Beginning First up, an obvious excruciating mistake … You need to START as you mean to go on! First impressions really count. If you’re a screenwriter, you may know you only have 10 pages maximum to pique a reader’s interest … What you may not know is you need to grab them from page 1, FIRST! This means you need a great opening image. Check out… Read More »10 Excruciating Mistakes Even Experienced Writers Make

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What You Can Learn From These 4 Bestselling Authors

Advice From Bestselling Authors If you’re thinking of becoming an author, a screenwriter, a non fiction or ebook writer, or starting a side hustle doing some freelance work, there’s one thing you need to be good at … writing! It’s easier said than done, of course, because the one thing writing demands is discipline. If you aren’t dedicated to the craft, you can forget about writing the next great American novel or its equivalent. If you’re looking for some tips and guidance from bestselling authors, read on. 1) Hugh Howey Bestselling author Hugh Howey is no stranger to fame and… Read More »What You Can Learn From These 4 Bestselling Authors

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