Is it just me or did the month of January fly by? Seems like I was just putting away Christmas decorations and gearing up for the new year.

January’s always a busy time for Angela and me because it’s when we do our annual planning—figuring out what our goals should be and how we should allocate our time. Staying organized is more important than ever because we’re closing in on 16 years of blogging (crazy!), and things are a little busier and more complex at Writers Helping Writers than they were in 2008. So carefully planning our time is key to us staying sane.

But we still find ourselves looking back sometimes at the things we did when we were first starting out—fun launch events and opportunities that had to be set aside as our responsibilities grew and our time got squeezed.

One thing we miss is being able to answer your questions about writing and the business side of things. Angela and I have been studying writing craft and managing the business end for some time now, so if we have knowledge that can help you, we want to share it. To this end…

We’re bringing back our Q&A!

For now, we’ll include the Q & A in our Master Storytelling newsletter (see the latest edition here), and this means we need your questions!

So, is there something you’re struggling with and need help understanding? Or do you have a question about us personally? If so, let us know. To get your brain churning, here are some topics and questions:

Writing Craft and Various Aspects of Storytelling

How do I figure out my character’s wounding event?
What’s the difference between a change arc and a failed arc?
What tips do you have for showing instead of telling?
How do I identify my story’s theme?
How much description should I include when I’m describing my setting?
What nonfiction writing craft books would you recommend?
What story structure model do you like to use, and why?

The Business of Writing

I have a full-time job; how do I make time for writing?
Should I create a business plan, and how do I do it?
I’m attending a conference this summer. Any tips on maximizing that experience?
What are some ways I can use my writing skills to make money on the side?
How can I use A.I. to save time and maximize my efficiency as a writer?
What’s a mistake you and Angela made on the business side of things, and what would you do differently?

Publishing

Should I self-publish or go with a traditional publisher? What are the differences?
Do I need an agent?
How do I know my book is ready for submission?
How do I find a critique group?
How do I know what feedback to incorporate into my story and what to ignore?
How do I tell a legitimate publisher from a vanity press?
Do I have to hire an editor?
When should I copyright my work?
Can you recommend a formatter/cover designer/proofreader/etc.?
Why did you and Angela decide to self-publish your books?

Book Marketing

How do I gain visibility for my books?
Should I go wide or narrow?
How do I find my ideal reading audience?
What should I write about in my reader-focused newsletter?
What marketing strategies have worked the best for you and Angela?

Our Books, Resources, and Services

What’s the difference between your books and One Stop for Writers?
Which of your books should I buy for a friend who’s a beginning writer?
How do I use the Reverse Backstory Tool in Appendix A of The Negative Trait Thesaurus?
I just found your Goal, Motivation, Conflict, & Stakes tracking resource. How do I figure out why they want to achieve their goal?
Will you be turning the Fear Thesaurus into a book?
What was your favorite book to write?

Getting to Know Becca and Angela…

(because all work and no play turns you into this guy).

How do you collaborate on books – what does that look like?
What are your biggest struggles as authors?
Do you have a pet, and can you share a picture of them?
When was the last time you were embarrassed?
How did the two of you meet?
What have you learned about yourselves from writing your series?
Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?

This is just a sampling of the kinds of questions you could ask. Basically, we’re happy to answer anything writing- and career-related that you need help with and share a bit about our personal side, too. (If you have a question about your specific story, we won’t be able to answer those as we’d require a lot of specific knowledge about your project.)

If you’d like to submit a question, please use this form. You can enter up to 3 questions at a time; if you have more than that, just click the link and start a new submission. The more questions the better!

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post What Are Your Questions about Writing & the Business Side of Being an Author? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

When I wrote book 2 in my The Fountain Series, The West Woods, I posted on social media to get Beta Readers, and had 61 people offer. *Facepalm*. I didn’t want to sift through 61 opinions on my book, but I did need a gut check from fans of the series.

• Would they like it as much as Book 1?
• Would they accept that Book 2 is a prequel?
• Would they forgive my main character, Courtney, for the things she did in Book 1?

These were the worries I had. So, from the 61, I invited a dozen, including teens and adults who read Young Adult. (Fun fact if you write for Young Adults – Adults are the ones who buy the books, and also the ones who review them, because kids don’t have Amazon accounts, so you need to make sure your book satisfies them too!)

Now, if you are lucky enough to find Beta Readers, treat them like gold. They are not your proofreaders. They are not editors. And unless they are also writers, they may not have the skills to suggest how you can improve your book. The skill you need from them is being readers, and letting them react to the story you’ve written.

Many of my Beta Readers have never given a writer feedback before, so I make it as clear as possible what I need them to do. That way, they don’t have to stress that they’re “not doing it right”, or that they’ll somehow let me down if they don’t love everything about the book. Bring on the feedback, because once it’s out in the world, you can’t take it back.

Writers often ask me when to involve Beta Readers. I like to get this feedback before I send it to my editor, so that I’ve got a good idea of how others will receive it. If I’m on a short timeline, I also sometimes send it to my editor and Beta Readers at the same time and then incorporate all the changes that come out of their reviews in the same revision pass. 

The first thing I do is give my Beta Readers a clear timeline. I like to ask them to read my book in 2 weeks. Here’s a quick tip: If you send your book to Beta Readers, and they don’t finish it? That might be feedback in itself. I hope that once readers start it, they rip through it cover to cover, just to find out what happens.

And to let them enjoy it and not stress, I make it clear that I don’t expect them to edit along the way. Instead, I give them a list of questions to answer when they’re done reading, including what characters they liked the most, and who they liked the least, which scene was their favorite, which was their least favorite, etc. Want the exact questions I asked Beta Readers for The West Woods? You can grab them here, I’m happy to share. 

I sent PDF copies of the book to the adult readers, and I printed, bound, and mailed out hard copies of the manuscript for the teen readers (I’ve found they’re more likely to be able to read it on the go, or evenings if they don’t have to use a device). And 2 weeks later, the feedback rolled in.

I sat down to go through the feedback and look for trends, taking a deep breath. After the third set of answers, I started to relax. The book was in good shape. I wouldn’t have to gut it. A few minor tweaks and it would be off to the publisher.

I went through the adult feedback first. They enjoyed the book. They connected with the main character and her story. And every one of them said that the climax scene – involving a dramatic break up – was their favorite. No surprise there, it had everything. I’d spent a long time perfecting that moment. Readers said it was heart wrenching and raw. Exactly what I was going for.

Next, I moved on to the teens’ feedback. I read the first set of answers, and then the second… and my shoulders crept up around my neck. The teens said the break up was their least favorite scene.

• “It made me so sad I had to put the book down for a few days”
• “I cried for her, and it just wasn’t as uplifting as Book 1”

I stared at their answers, stunned. I’d been so focused on ripping my readers’ hearts out, I hadn’t stopped to consider what readers loved about Book 1. Why teens were reading the series in the first place.

After a few days mulling over how to completely rework the climax of the book, I highlighted the 5 chapters that needed to change, and hit delete. (Okay, okay, of course, I didn’t really hit delete, but I moved them into another document and never looked at them again). Spoiler alert: There is no longer a break up scene in that book, and it went on to be shortlisted as a finalist for the Aurora Awards for Best Young Adult Fiction in Canada.

I am so grateful for the teens who were brave enough to tell me what the least favorite part of their book was. And I’m grateful I asked.

Are you looking for Beta Readers for your book? Check out this terrific article.

Have more questions on how to use Beta Readers effectively? Drop a comment below!

SUZY VADORI - Resident Writing Coach

Suzy Vadori is the award-winning author of The Fountain Series. She is a certified Book Coach with Author Accelerator and the Founder of Wicked Good Fiction Bootcamp. Suzy breaks down important writing concepts into practical steps to make it easy for writers coming from outside the industry to get up to speed in a snap, so that they can realize their big, wild writing dreams!

In addition to her weekly newsletter encouraging writers, and online courses, Suzy offers both developmental editing and 1:1 Book Coaching. Find out more about our RWC team here and discover how to connect with Suzy and all the resources she has to offer here.

The post How Beta Readers Might Save Your Book from Disaster appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Two novice writers met in an online critique group called the Critique Circle and became fast friends. Angela (a Canadian) wrote about zombies and pirates and a magical bookstore that kidnapped customers. Becca (an American) wrote everything from a coming of age YA during California’s Gold Rush to a dark tale of a doughy gingerbread boy being baked alive (and here you thought Angela was the weird one).

The two also shared something else: a passion for learning and helping others. So they turned to studying the craft of writing and how they could help others work through common writing struggles.

One of the bigger hurdles writers faced was showing and not telling character emotion, so the two collaborated on a list of ways to show fear. This brainstorming list was well-received, and led to the next, and the next. Then in January 2008, they decided to start a blog so they could share these lists more widely. At The Bookshelf Muse, this collection of lists was given an official name: the “Emotion Thesaurus.”

This thesaurus became the first of many on different aspects of description, and finally, on May 9, 2012, they self-published their first writing guide: The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression.

Truth be told, it was terrifying. The industry wasn’t so keen on self-publishing back then, and some experts were vocal about how they believed writers were throwing their careers away if they self-published. To know about this bias and then put a book on the same industry-dominated shelf anyway took a lot of inner convincing, especially as this was their first publication, meaning they had no bestselling-this or editor-that to give them credibility.

But they did have something special. You.

Right from that first list, first blog, and first book, YOU were in their corner. You supported, cheered, and encouraged. You helped spread the word, told other writers about the helpful nature of this book, and then did the same for all the ones that followed.

Thank you for being in our corner!

Becca and I are stunned that a million of our books are in the world. Never could we have dreamt of being able to help so many writers, but we’ve been able to because of all of you. Your kindness, generosity, and support is unmatched. We are so grateful–thank you so, so much!

(Find Out More: Press Release & Quick Facts)

Giveaway Alert

A milestone like this calls for a special giveaway, so we reached out to our Resident Writing Coaches for help.

And boy, did they ever deliver!

Look at this incredible load of writerly things you can win…

The Prizes

A Story Audit from RWC & Editor, Lisa Poisso

This small but powerful diagnostic examines your one-page synopsis, a comprehensive assessment of the story’s narrative elements (story structure, plot, character arcs, conflict, and more), and an overview of the writing in your full manuscript. It will help you determine if your book is ready for editing, saving you time, energy, and money by diagnosing any big-picture issues before you pay someone for editing. A winner can redeem this Story Audit anytime after July 2023. (Psst. Lisa is great to work with!)

First 5000 Critique from RWC & Editor Michelle Barker

Your query letter and synopsis are important parts of the submission package, but your writing sample is the true test. In fact, many agents read the sample first. This service includes a developmental edit of your first 5000 words & complimentary access to Query Quest. Find out more.

Online Confidential Platform & Networking On Demand Course from RWC, Script Editor & Author, Lucy V. Hay

Marketing and platform building can be a challenge, but this step-by-step guide will help you utilize the online space to your best advantage as a writer or screenwriter. If you feel you aren’t getting traction online now, or you just don’t know where to start, this course will help you! Find out more.

A Wicked Good Bootcamp Seat from RWC, Editor, & Author Suzy Vadori
The 8-week virtual book coaching experience will teach you to write a book that readers will love. Get clear on the story you’re dying to tell (and WHY you want to tell it), so you can turn it into a book readers actually want to read without compromising your creative vision. Skip the writers’ learning curve and get over a decade’s worth of Suzy’s insider writing industry tips in just 8 weeks to make your writing as strong as possible. Come away with a detailed action plan to get your ideal book written and into the world this year.

A Crime Scene or Climax Critique, (Winner’s Choice) from RWC & Thriller Author Sue Coletta

Attention, mystery, thriller & crime writers! This unique prize has been designed just for you from an expert in crime scenes, serial killers, tension, and suspense! (Did I mention she has her own Murder Blog?) Sue will assess your scene and offer feedback to help you ramp up the intensity. Note: the winner will need to provide a short synopsis of the story so Sue has context for the scene.

A $150 credit toward a Cruising Writers Writing Retreat with RWC & Author Christina Delay

Have you ever dreamed of joining a bunch of writers on a writing retreat in some beautiful location? Then imagine a situation where you get to visit several stunning locations, be pampered as you relax, and have a chance to learn and network with industry pros! Cruising Writers is a fantastic option for retreaters – rest, relax, and fill your creative well aboard a stunning cruise ship. The winner will get a hefty $150 discount on your package when you book! (Stating the obvious, but you must be a writer to win.)

A 20-Page Critique of Your Middle Grade or YA Novel by RWC & Editor, Marissa Graff

Wouldn’t it be great to have help with the opening of your story, especially from someone who was a freelance editor and reader for former literary agent Sarah Davies (ranked #2 in middle-grade fiction sales) for over seven years? Someone who has had clients go on to nab agents, sell their books, and even win the Newbery Award? Heck yes it would! Marissa Graff will help you bring out the best elements of your MG or YA opening by critiquing your first 20 pages.

A Full Picture Book Critique from Our WHW Blog Wizard & “PB Fairy Godmother” Mindy Alyse Weiss

Mindy is the mastermind behind PBParty, an annual contest that connects talented picture book writers and author/illustrators with agents and editors. This has led to many success stories. Mindy has a ton of experience in what agents and editors are looking for in a picture book. The winner of this prize can send up to three PB manuscripts. Mindy will give light comments on two and in-depth feedback on the PB with the most potential.

A 1-Year Subscription to One Stop for Writers from your biggest fans… Becca and me!

We have created many thesauruses over the years, but not all of them become books…some go straight to a THESAURUS Database at One Stop for Writers. This web app is how we help writers beyond our books and where we’ve built powerful tools that make it much easier to plan, write, and revise your way to a publish-ready book. Take the tour, start a free trial, and make sure to enter below for a chance to win a 1-year membership! We’d love to help you bring your best story to the page.

To Enter:

Want a chance to win one of these amazing prizes? Click the link below.

WHW’s 1 Million Book Milestone Giveaway

(Final day to enter is May 9th, 2023, EST).
Winners are being notified! Watch your inbox!

Note, one entry per person. Prizes have no cash value and cannot be transferred. For full legal rules and conditions, please go here.)

Thank you again for all your kind support. We are honored to be part of your storytelling journey!

If you’d like to help us celebrate this milestone, feel free to share this post. And good luck in the draw!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post We’ve Reached the One Million Books Milestone! appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Unless you wrote your book exclusively for your own satisfaction, once your creative vision is on the page, it’s time to zoom in on how the book works for readers. The key is getting the right kind of feedback for where you are in the revision and editing process—and dodging the kind that will pull you off track.

Much of this choice hinges on your editorial budget. You could do most or all these steps for yourself at no cost, but the quality of your book will reflect the quality of the production behind it. Most writers end up drawing on both free and paid feedback options.

Let’s make sure you’re leaning on the right options at the right time.

Writing Feedback: Stage by Stage

With a newly complete manuscript

Volunteer feedback is perfect at this stage of your book’s development. One or two alpha readers (often a spouse, critique partner, or close friend) provide that initial gut check on what’s hitting home and what’s missing the target.

During second and later drafts

As you continue working through early drafts, crowdsourced feedback continues to be your best bet. Lean on your peers in critique partners and groups, collecting enough opinions to sort out which point to genuine issues and which simply refer to personal taste.

Active drafting can be an opportunity for coaching or mentoring on story problems identified by critique buddies—a character arc that refuses to gel, saggy pacing, a general lack of zing—if your budget and time comfortably allow it. A little one-on-one help from a pro now could prevent you from filling your manuscript with pernicious errors that will inflate your editing rate down the line. (Incorrect use of dialogue tags and action beats, I’m looking at you!)

Before you’re ready for professional editing

Once you sense you’re nearing the limits of your ability to improve your book on your own, it’s time to bring in beta readers. Beta readers provide high-level, subjective, personal feedback such as “the pacing felt slow in the middle” or “I just didn’t like that character at all.”

Although paying for beta reading ensures the readers will finish the book and return feedback, it’s not necessary to hire a pro. In fact (unpopular opinion ahead), an editor is the wrong choice for beta reading. The reason is simple: Beta reading is not Editing Lite. It’s designed to generate genuine reader reaction, not analysis from a trained professional.

When you’re ready for professional editing

When you’re ready for professional editing, marching in with a request for a particular type or level of editing puts you at risk of getting precisely what you ask for—whether your manuscript needs it or not. It would be like relying on Dr. Google to diagnose a physical ailment, then convincing a local doctor to prescribe strictly the medications and treatments you’ve decided you need.

Choose your editor with care. You deserve a specialist who resonates with you and your work, not whoever offers the lowest rates and immediate availability.

Once you’ve found the perfect editorial collaborator, let them recommend what your manuscript needs. Their recommendations should be based on what will best support your story, your writing, and your publishing goals. If your editor hasn’t reviewed all those points, you can’t be sure you’ll get what you need.

Between edits

Another popular point for beta reading is in between edits. For example, betas can check whether the revisions you made after a developmental edit satisfy the needs the edit identified.

Don’t use beta readers beyond the point at which you’re willing to make big-picture changes. Once the story is settled, it’s time to move forward into editing.

Before you query

Raw talent shouldn’t mean raw material, and having your manuscript edited before you query agents and publishers helps you get your foot in the door.

“Our agency consistently see proposals that are okay, but simply not written at a level that is needed to break into the market,” writes literary agent Steve Laube. “Agents are not freelance editors so there is only so much we are willing to do to fix a project. I have said it this way, ‘If I get something that is 90% ready, I can take it the rest of the way. But if it is only 80% ready I will kick it back to the writer with a rejection. We are looking for the best of the best.’”

Agents are not there to provide you with free editing. In The Shit No One Tells You About Writing (season 2, episode 1), literary agent Cece Lyra advises writers not to expect feedback from an agent until “your writing is so, so good to the point that your agent is actually ready to sell it, then he’ll give you editorial feedback. … Your agent’s job is to sell your work. You need to have other sources of feedback too.”

Authors like Bianca Marais (The Witches of Moonshine Manor) seek out professional help before sending their manuscripts to agents. “I think as writers, we need to get into the habit of seeking out the expertise that we want, and that means paying for it,” she notes in The Shit No One Tells You About Writing (season 2, episode 1), “but it makes the agent’s job that much easier to be able to sell the work because the work is so much more polished and professional at that time.”

Before you self-publish

Self-publishing your work means assuming the responsibility for producing a professional-quality product—and that means paying for professional-caliber editing.

A developmental editor will help you master and refine the principles of story structure, genre, and storytelling technique. Your need for this level of editing may diminish as you master the craft, but you can’t afford to launch your writing career with limp storytelling.

And when it’s time for line editing and copyediting, your friend the English teacher can tell you if you have a problem with dangling participles, but they probably haven’t the foggiest about publishing industry standards for fiction style and punctuation. Get a professional copyedit.

Proofreading could be a suitable time to loop in friends and family who’ve promised to help. Vet their recommendations carefully—their knowledge of current grammar and usage or publishing industry standards will not always be on target—and be clear that you’re asking for help identifying typos and objective errors. Collate and compare volunteer findings, then get a professional editor or proofreader to review the results. You may be able to get this done as part of your editing follow-up or at an extremely low rate.

Keep Hold of the Creative Reins

Finally, follow these three guidelines for incorporating feedback into your work at any stage.

1. Don’t seek creative feedback from anyone you wouldn’t entrust with molding your book’s creative vision.

2. Take responsibility for learning your craft. “The conscious writer listens to everyone, tries everything, but follows no one; they are their own guru,” advises story development consultant Jeff Lyons. “(The conscious writer) takes responsibility for their failures as well as their successes and knows that they, not some fortune cookie, are the only ones who can solve their writing problems—and they love that responsibility.”

3. Don’t get sucked into an endless feedback loop. Gather constructive input, make your decisions and revisions, and move on to the next novel. You want a writing career filled with books, don’t you?

Onward!

LISA POISSO - Resident Writing Coach

Lisa Poisso specializes in helping new and emerging fiction writers. A veteran of the disciplined world of classical dance, she brings that same practiced artistry to writing—where structure, form, and technique are springboards that give you freedom of movement on the page. Explore her Writing & Editing Resources for valuable tools to develop your manuscript, and subscribe to the Writes of Fiction newsletter to receive Lisa’s hand-picked writing advice delivered directly to your inbox. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Lisa below.

The post Feedback and Editing: The Right Eyes at the Right Time appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

The reality is we’re always growing and changing, and sometimes that means delving into a new genre that we’re unfamiliar with writing. Maybe we go from non-fiction to fiction, or children’s fiction to memoir. When there’s a big shift, there’s also a learning curve. Rochelle Melander has navigated this move and is here with some great advice on how to make this a smoother transition. Read on! ~ Angela

When I launched my writing career in the late 90s, I knew I wanted to write for children. But with two master’s degrees and professional training as a life coach, I found immediate success writing articles, resources, and books. In 2017, I got serious about getting a children’s book published. In 2019, I landed a book contract for Mightier Than the Sword: Rebels, Reformers, and Revolutionaries Who Changed the World through Writing, which came out this week.

If you want to boost your writing career, you can write more books, start a blog, write for hire, ghostwrite, and so much more. Genre switching might be one of the most challenging ways to expand your writing. But it also brings many benefits: writing in a new genre will inspire you, strengthen your writing muscles, and expand your platform. Here’s how to start:

1. Build on your strengths

Whether you’re trying to find a new genre or have one in mind, you can speed up your progress and ease the transition by assessing your current strengths. I’ve written picture books and middle grade novels. But when I got serious about getting published, I knew that I had the best chance of breaking into the market by writing a nonfiction book. I could use the skills I’d developed to write about famous writers. And writing about writing would build on my established platform.

Try this:

1. List what you already do well as a writer. Be sure to include both craft and business skills.
   
2. Brainstorm ways you could use these skills in a new genre. At this point, don’t limit yourself to the genre you’re leaning toward. This will help you expand your thinking about what’s possible for you.
   
3. Note the specific skills you can use in your chosen genre.

2. Get schooled.

No matter how much writing education and experience you have, switching genres requires learning about the craft and market. Picture book author Kira Bigwood has two degrees in writing and works as a copywriter by day, but she studied and wrote for several years before she sold her debut picture book, Secret, Secret Agent Guy. She said, “You wouldn’t expect to know how to perform surgery without going to med school, so why would you think you could write a children’s book without first putting in the work (I’m talking to myself here).”

Try this:

Check out your new genre’s professional organization—and see if they offer classes. I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and I used that membership to find classes. Follow the leaders in the field, and read their bios: where did they learn the craft? Read as much as you can, focusing on articles and books published in the last five years.

3. Get help.

You can take a gazillion classes, but at some point you’re going to need specific feedback on your writing. Whether you join a critique group, get a critique partner, or hire a professional editor, you need someone who knows the genre to read your work. They will be able to tell you if your work sounds contemporary. Retired educator and children’s book author Sandy Brehl said, “My critique partners worked hard to keep me from slipping into “teacher voice” and just let information work itself into the natural storyline… or land on the cutting room floor!”

4. Know your why

Succeeding in a new genre takes time, hard work, and persistence. You will have moments when you want to give up. According to Simon Sinek, author of Find Your Why, it helps to “know the purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do.” Whenever you feel like giving up, get connected to your purpose, your why. Knowing that you are writing books to inspire children or bring joy to tired adults or teach people—that will keep you going when you’re facing obstacles.

In 2006, I founded a writing program for young people in Milwaukee. I wrote Mightier for the children I’d taught for years. I knew that they would love reading stories about young people just like them who found their voice, wrote their truth, and changed the world in the process. When I got stuck, remembering them helped me to keep moving forward.

Try this:

Connect your hardest tasks to your why. I encourage my clients to write a goal statement that includes their when and their why:

Each morning, I will write my romance novel so that it will bring joy to people!

Here’s the template:

When: [Time frame]
I will: [Your task and goal]
So that: [Your why]

5. Don’t forget to play

In the midst of writing, publishing, and marketing a book in a new genre, it’s easy to forget the passion and joy that inspired your decision to jump into a new playground. What seemed joyful at first can begin feel like drudgery—especially when you encounter obstacles. When you get stuck, remember why you started on this journey. Embrace the delicious parts. Take time to play with words. You will be happier. You’ll write better. And you’ll delight your readers.

Rochelle Melander wrote her first book at seven and has published 11 books for adults, including Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It) and Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity. 

Through her writing and work as a professional certified coach, Rochelle Melander helps writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs overcome distractions and procrastination, design a writing life, turn their ideas into books, navigate the publishing world, and connect with readers through social media. Mightier Than the Sword: Rebels, Reformers, and Revolutionaries Who Changed the World through Writing is her debut book for children. Visit her online at writenowcoach.com or rochellemelander.com

About the book: Mightier Than the Sword: Rebels, Reformers, and Revolutionaries Who Changed the World through Writing is a middle grade social justice book pairing life changing writing exercises with the stories of a diverse group of people who changed lives and communities throughout history.

The book features people from a variety of disciplines who used their words to educate people about the stars, advocate for women’s rights, end slavery, save the environment, protest injustice, and more.

Guest Contributor

Interested in posting at Writers Helping Writers? Review our content guidelines to see what we’re looking for and how to pitch us your ideas.

The post Genre Switching: Launching a Successful Career in a New Genre appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Every writer I know who has lasted in the publishing industry for more than five years has one thing in common: a support system that functions on multiple levels. Everything about this industry (querying agents, sending stories out on submission, the erratic way in which we get paid, etc.) tends to weed writers out and wear us down. But those of us with multi-level support are more likely to weather the storms of self-doubt. 

There are three key types of support for writers: 

Critique: People who offer feedback on your writing in exchange for your feedback on theirs.

Mentorship: People ahead of you in their career who inspire you.

Accountability: People who help keep you on track for your writing and career goals.

The key to emotional well-being and continued productivity is knowing which part of your support system to call on when. The crazy thing is, once you start looking, you can find support everywhere: from writers and non-writers, people you may never meet in real life, or authors who don’t even know you exist. 

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to delve into all three sides of the triangle. But today’s deep dive starts with that moment when you can no longer be objective about your work. Even worse, you can’t figure out what the hell you’re writing in the first place, and, oops, you’re 50,000 words in, but, damn, that last sentence was fire!  

You need a fresh set of eyes that are attached to someone else’s brain. I typically know I’ve hit this wall when I’m moving the same sentence to four different places in a MS, deleting it, reinserting it, and then adding a comma because surely that’s going to solve the problem. If you’re at the tinkering-with-no-progress point in a project, call in your Critique Support. 

Critique Groups: To refine your writing, gather a small group of writers who exchange work according to preset rules and time frames. The group format lets you see a variety of reactions to your work and triangulate information to see what you need to fix. If four out of the five of members of the group say, “I was confused and had no idea what happened in this scene,” you know you have a serious problem. If two of the members get in a huge fight about which one of your characters is the worst—fantastic! You’ve written something that invoked passion in others. If one person hates something, well that’s interesting and helpful feedback, but maybe it’s more about their personal preference than your writing. The added bonus—a critique group will help you develop a thicker skin, which will come in real handy when those reviews start going up at Goodreads.  

Critique Partners:  A good critique partner is worth their weight in gold because they’re willing to read the same chapter again, and again, and again. This is the writer you swap work with on a regular basis and provide reciprocal critiques. It’s helpful to specify which type of critique you need, depending on the stage of your project. 

• Big picture edits to check for pacing problems, voice consistency, or other over-arcing issues
• Line edits when you’re tightening, refining voice, clarifying action, working on visualization, etc. 
• Copy edits to check for grammar, consistency, and formatting issues before you send out for potential publication
• Positivity Passes when you need to hear what you’re doing well. This is often overlooked and highly under-rated. Ask for this type of feedback when you’re thinking things like My writing sucks and Why am I even doing this? A positivity pass provides some much-needed validation. And if your CP can find something nice to say about the work, you won’t have to throw the whole thing in the garbage. 

Beta Readers: Beta readers are as close to a reader shopping a bookstore as you can get. These are one-time readers who give initial impressions on how your story is coming across. The super fantastic thing: beta readers don’t have to be writers. They just have to be readers whose opinions you trust. More information on finding beta readers and critique partners can be found here.

If you’re asking someone to read a full manuscript, that’s a huge time commitment, so start by asking if they would read the first ten pages for you. If they’re into your story, then ask if they’d like to read the whole MS. If they’re not into the story, it gives them a graceful out. Again, look for overlapping places where multiple readers comment. This means you’re either doing something really right or really wrong. 

Critique lets you see your work (more) objectively. It lets you know what your strengths as a writer are and points out places where you could spend a little more time revising.  If you get your critiques and realize you are great at description but your dialogue could use work, consider holding yourself financially accountable and invest in a class to help refine your skills. 

One thing to keep in mind: Critiques are other people’s opinions. It is your story, so disregard the feedback that is irrelevant to your vision. Incorporate and revise based on the feedback that hit home. 

Critique support often turns into emotional support as well.  Writing is a weird industry, and only another writer is going to understand the sting of a query rejection or why it takes four years for your book to get to print. That emotional support has kept me from walking away from this industry more than once, and it all started with swapping some pages.

***

Bio: Jessica Conoley connects story tellers and tells stories. She writes essays, creative non-fiction, flash fiction, and fantasy. Her coaching services demystify the business aspect of writing by drawing on her past experiences as president of a non-profit and managing editor of a literary magazine. In addition to developmental editorial services, she offers virtual workspaces and critique groups as a way to foster creative community for writers. Learn more at: https://jessicaconoley.com/ or on Twitter @jaconoley

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Building Your Writing Support Triangle, Part 1: Critique appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If this is new to you, it’s a framework for writing success that consists of 5 rules established by Robert A. Heinlein—aeronautical engineer and pioneering science fiction author. Writers who ascribe to his process swear by it on a Crossfit/Natural Oils level. They’re prolific, successful, and happy with their work. We’re talking authors like Dean Wesley Smith, with 150 novels and hundreds of short stories written while following the rules.

Heinlein first outlined his rules in Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing (1947). In his contribution to the compilation, he wrote the following, largely as an afterthought to his article:

“I’m told that these articles are supposed to be some use to the reader. I have a guilty feeling that all of the above may have been more for my amusement than for your edification. Therefore I shall chuck in as a bonus a group of practical, tested rules, which, if followed meticulously, will prove rewarding to any writer.

1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you start.
3. You must refrain from rewriting (except to editorial demand).
4. You must put it on the market.
5. You must keep it on the market until sold.“

They look so simple, and most of them make a lot of sense. But some of it flies in the face of what many of us have learned. And some of Heinlein’s devotees would say this is exactly the problem—that we’ve educated ourselves out of the creative process that allows our brains to generate ideas and transfer them to paper in story form. To a certain degree, they’re not wrong.

But I’d also suggest that the writing world is different today than it was in 1947. The way we’re taught to write in school, the availability of self-publishing options, the vast array of writing resources on the market (of varying quality)—these are just a few of the things that have changed for writers since Heinlein’s day, and I believe changes like these have made it harder for most people in 2021 to follow Heinlein’s process.

Personally, I don’t agree with every rule, but each one contains a nugget of wisdom—principles that can help any writer accelerate their journey toward authorial success. So if you’re looking for a new process, a kick in the pants, or even a friendly debate about what works and what doesn’t, allow me to expend a few extra words today to share how I believe Heinlein’s Rules can help you.

And if you love Heinlein’s Rules as they are, forgive me for the liberties I’m about to take ;).

1. Write

This is as true today as it ever was. If we want to grow into great writers, the bulk of our time must be spent writing. Not researching, or editing, attending conferences, marketing, etc. All of these are important, but writers can get so caught up in everything else that they spend very little time doing the one habit that’s non-negotiable. Acknowledging this can keep us from getting derailed and help us maintain focus on what really matters.

2. Finish What You Start

Absolutely true. This rule is necessary because it forces the writer to not give up when things get tough, to see the story through to its end. It’s also a good rule of thumb for anyone who’s easily distracted by Shiny New Ideas and has more partial works than completed ones.

Granted, sometimes it’s smart to take a break from a story and work on something else. That can be exactly what you need when you’re stuck. But I’d say it’s generally a good idea at some point to return to that first story and get ‘er done because the writing itself is the best teacher. The more we struggle and persevere, the more we learn and improve. And, honestly, those of us who want to make a career out of writing need to get in the habit of finishing.

3. Refrain from Rewriting (Except to Editorial Demand)

Ack. This is where I get hung up. The Heinlein’s Rules devotees I’ve spoken to are able to adhere pretty strictly to this rule. They write the story then move on to the next one. Or they give it one or two revision passes at most.

I shudder to think of what my stories would look like after only one round of revision. I. SHUDDER. Along with anyone who reads those stories. But there are a few principles here that we shouldn’t ignore:

1. Too much revision can kill your story
2. Too much revision = not enough writing (see Rule #1)
3. Not all feedback should be applied to your story

Many authors get stuck in the revision stage, spending months going over a story and making changes. It starts to feel overworked, and we get sick of our own work, which is never great for the creative process. Too much revision can also result in you killing your character’s voice as you fiddle and fuss with the text.

Even so, the vast majority of writers don’t start off writing perfectly crafted stories. They have blind spots and areas of weakness. Their stories need revision. So I’ve got a couple of amendments for this rule.

Amendment #1

Set a limit on how many revision rounds you’ll do, and stick to it. Once you’ve finished those rounds—even if the product isn’t as good as you’d like—move on to the next story. The more you write, the better you’ll get at crafting stories, and the less revision will be needed in the long run.

My new friend Harvey Stanbrough, who adheres to Heinlein’s Rules (with much success, I might add), shared a great bit of advice with me about how he shortens the revision learning curve.

“I recommend having one technique in mind—for example, pacing or dialogue or depth of description, etc.— as you begin each story. That’s how you improve. Practice and learning, learning and practice.”

I love this because it’s something authors can do in the drafting stage to accelerate their learning in a given area, which eventually results in less revision.

Amendment #2

Another thing Harvey recommends is the use of first readers. Immediately upon completion of his first draft, he emails it to certain readers. Some, he says, are writers, but some aren’t. All that matters is that they’re avid readers, and they’re not looking for certain things. They’re just reading for entertainment, and if something pops out at them or they notice anything that’s off, they let him know.

There’s obviously a benefit to being advised by writers who are farther along the path than we are—people who can help us see what we don’t yet know and school us on the more complicated aspects of storytelling. If you’ve hung around our blog at all, you’ve heard us natter on about the benefit of critique groups and getting feedback for your work. No need to flog that topic further.

But if I can generalize here, I’m finding that many readers don’t care about the rules of grammar or which dialogue tags are used. They just don’t. They care that the story is entertaining or relevant or holds their interest. Truth is, if you’re a fiction author, those people are your audience, not the writers. So getting feedback from regular, run-of-the-mill readers can also be super beneficial in letting us know how what we need to work on and how close our work is to being done.

Amendment #3

Note that Heinlein doesn’t say anything here about editing. You can write an excellent story, but if it’s got typos, misspellings, and the like, you’re going to lose readers. So it’s my opinion that every story can benefit from a copyeditor’s eye. That you can do while remaining true to the spirit of the revision rule.

You Must Put It on the Market

Again, I say Ack. 

When Heinlein was writing, the only real way to put your work on the market was to submit it to a book or magazine publisher. If they didn’t like it, or if it wasn’t up to par in terms of quality, then it didn’t get published. No harm done.

But there’s no one in self-publishing to close the door on a story before it hits the shelves. Literally anyone can publish any book, no matter how poorly written it is. And with that, harm can be done. You can’t undo crappy reviews. Like an ill-advised tattoo, those reviews of your early books are forever.

This is where the writer’s gut comes in. A lot of the time, we know when a story isn’t ready. When we’re not sure, reader feedback can push us in the right direction. When they’re saying things like, “I didn’t understand this part,” or “What happened to the neighbor from chapter one?” or “I kind of lost interest here,” you know you’re not quite there.

Becca’s two cents: Not every book should be published. But the more you write, the more publishable books you’ll be able to create. And as you learn along the way, you’ll get better at knowing when your work is ready.

Keep It on the Market until Sold

In the old days (when submitting to publishers was the only option for getting a book to market), this was a good suggestion, encouraging authors not to give up too early. We’ve all heard Rowling’s story. Imagine if she had thrown in the towel after the first few rejections. So if you’re wanting to publish traditionally, it’s not a bad idea to keep sending out submissions.

When you’re self-publishing, though…it depends. If you’ve had a book for sale for a while and it’s not selling, it’s probably not going to sell until something changes. Maybe you grow in your craft and start writing better books that start selling, and then your audience discovers your earlier works. Or a very currenty event occurs that ties into your story’s theme and all of a sudden people are looking for stories like yours. So in the case of a book not selling because it (or you) just haven’t been discovered yet, there’s no harm in leaving it on market.

But it’s always possible that your book isn’t selling because you published it before it was ready. For indie authors, having that book out there could cause harm because people who read it won’t be inclined to buy your other books. And if they slap it with a bad review, other potential readers can be turned off, too. So if a book is getting panned, I’d say it’s a good idea to put it away and…that’s right. Write the next book.

In Conclusion…

No writing process is perfect for every person; this is why there are so many of them out there. Regarding Heinlein’s Rules, people who follow them religiously won’t be happy with the liberties I’ve taken. And that’s ok. If the process works for them, they should run with it. No alterations needed.

But for others, I would say that there’s no harm in tweaking. The rules have good bones. If you can’t get 100% on board, accommodations like these just might propel you along your journey to writing success.

If you’re interested in learning more about Heinlein’s Rules, check out these resources:

Harvey Stanbrough’s Series of Posts on Heinlein’s Rules 
Heinlein’s Rules: 5 Simple Business Rules for Writing, by Dean Wesley Smith
Heinlein’s Rules for Writing and How to Break Them

Questions? Suggestions? Flaming Bags of Poo? 
Hit me in the comments.

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Heinlein’s Rules of Writing: Principles for Success appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Want to write a novel in 2021? Whether it’s your first, fourth or fiftieth manuscript, there are certain considerations that can help you get off the starter blocks. Here are three things I often recommend to writers. (If you have other tips to add, do leave them in the comments!)

1) Your Chapter Length

What should your chapter length be? Well, as my writing site Bang2write always says, there’s no rule or standard on anything writing-related. This means it depends … but how do we decide?

I think it can be good to consider what other writers have done and/or think about it. This useful article from WordCounter.net breaks it down as follows:

• Some writers believe 2500 words per chapter is optimum
• Others believe it’s somewhere between 3-5,000 words
• Most writers agree under 1000 words is too short
• They also agree over 5000 words is too long
• ALL writers agree chapter length should be defined by the story

Myself, I usually write chapters somewhere between 1500 and 2500 words. One of the reasons I do this is because I write crime fiction. I like to use cliff-hangers at the end of chapters, plus I know my target audience loves to read on Kindle. Sure enough, lots of my reviews have praised my short chapters on this basis. Result!

TOP TIP: Consider the genre and style you’re writing, as well as your readers’ preferences. This will help you land on a ‘ballpark figure’ to aim for if you’re stuck.

2) Your Book’s Overall Word Count

Just like chapters, book length should obviously be dictated by the story. That said, it can be very helpful again to consider what other writers have done in the past. It can also be useful to consider what your readers prefer.

A while back, B2W did an informal survey of literary agents, book editors, beta readers, book bloggers and publishers I knew. I asked them their thoughts on ‘ideal’ wordcounts for various genres. This is what they came back with …

• Literary and epic fantasy: 100-120K
• Crime, Romance, Horror, Comedy etc: 70-90K
• YA and Erotica: 50-70K
• Novellas: 20-40K
• Short Stories: Up to approx. 1500-10K(ish)

Obviously you will have read books that are way outside these word counts, but it is still offers useful perimeter. Another thing worth thinking about: the ‘newer’ writer you are, the more you probably want to err on the shorter end. Generally speaking, the more experienced writers tend to get the longer word counts.

TOP TIP: Consider what has gone before in your genre when it comes to overall word count. Also think about ‘where’ you are on the writing ladder. If you’re a debut author, try and be as lean as possible.

3) Your Daily Word Count

How many words can you write daily, weekly, monthly towards your masterpiece? This will obviously be personal and depend on other factors in your life … This may include (but is not limited to) such things as your day job, family and/or caring commitments or health challenges.

However, many writers just don’t know where to start with setting targets. This means they set themselves writing targets that are not achievable. As a result, they de-motivate themselves or even get ‘blocked’ and come to a complete halt.

I recommend coming up with a word count you can stay on top of easily. This means that every word you go beyond that feels like a BONUS. This sense of positivity can prove useful in spurring you on. For this reason, I think 300-500 words a day on your novel is a great number. I have recommended to this many of my ‘Bang2writers’ and they report it has helped them finish their novels.

(Remember, 300 words a day x 30 days = 9000 words! Not too shabby at all.)

However, maybe you can’t / don’t want to write every day? I hear that. I am what I call a ‘binge writer’. Instead of writing every single day, I like to splurge words out until I have none left. This means every writing session I aim for approximately 2000 words. I try and do this a minimum of twice a week, meaning my target each week is 4000 words. 4000 words x 4 weeks = 16000 words!

But don’t just listen to me. Here’s the word counts of 5 famous authors, including the prolific  Stephen King. (I would have put real money on him having a MUCH higher word count, so just as well I am not a gambling woman!).

Whatever you think is a good word count for you, what’s important is creating a meaningful goal.
Once you have this goal, you need to …

1. Work out a plan on how to achieve it
2. Ensure you have a ‘when by’ date to focus you
3. Evaluate your progress
4. Tweak as necessary

The fourth is especially important since LIFE HAPPENS. If you work with that expectation in mind, you are far more likely reach your goal. You know what they say … ‘Failure to plan is planning to fail’!

TOP TIP: Have a goal in mind and personalized strategy to get it done, as well as ‘when by’ date to keep focused.

Good luck!

LUCY V. HAY - Resident Writing Coach

Lucy V. Hay is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. She’s been the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts & has also been a script reader for 20 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. She’s also an author, publishing as both LV Hay and Lizzie Fry.  Lizzie’s latest, a serial killer thriller titled The Good Mother is out now with Joffe Books, with her sixth thriller out in 2024. Lucy’s site at www.bang2write.com has appeared in Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life, as well as a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK (ninth in the world.). She is also the author of the bestselling non-fiction book, Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays: From TV Pilot To Feature Film (Creative Essentials), which she updated for the streaming age for its tenth anniversary in 2023.

The post 3 Things Worth Thinking About BEFORE You Start Your Book appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I still vividly recall working on my first story. The anxiety I felt when I thought of sending it out into the world made me instantly start to sweat. But I did send my script to a movie producer and director, and when I got her feedback, my worst fears were realized: “I can’t get past page 50. It is slow, nothing is happening.” 

I wanted to cry. I thanked her and asked for some time to fix it. She granted it to me and I went back to work. Two months later, I sent the script back to her and was thrilled when she called to ask how much I wanted for it. 

With the many novels, screenplays, and short stories I’ve written, I’ve had to face different versions of the same complaint: “This story is boring.” Every time, I have had to go back and tinker with my piece until the response became positive. This experience has taught me that boring stories tend to have the same problems. To be sure, I didn’t find them all by myself. I had help from many books on storytelling, with my favorite by a long margin being Robert McKee’s Story. We turn to him for the first factor.

Factor 1 :  Weak Conflict

“A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them.” — Robert McKee

This is the most influential and common factor. It makes sense because when you really think about it, at its core, story is conflict, and strong conflict can only be delivered by strong forces of antagonism. The solution is simply to intensify the conflict.

There are 5 layers of story conflict you can use to your advantage.

• Internal (character vs. himself)
• Personal (character vs. family and friends)
• Social (character vs. social world — institutions, governments, culture)
• Environmental (character vs. nature)
• Metaphysical (character vs. supernatural)

If the conflict between character and family doesn’t seem compelling enough, shift the focus to the social world or the supernatural. A popular story strategy is to blend more than two layers. For example, Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) fires on all five cylinders. No wonder it grabs the attention as it does.

An important thing to note is that it is not always about intensifying the conflict vertically (across layers) but also horizontally (within layers). In some instances, the right solution will be to intensify conflict that already exists within a single layer by scaling up the size of actions and consequences between the opponents. In this, do not be scared to go to extremes.

For ideas on the various kinds of conflict you might infuse into your story, see Becca and Angela’s Conflict Thesaurus.

Factor 2 : Diluted Intensity

The main culprit here is shoddy plotting; the story is boring because there are too many scenes that do not move the story forward. Instead, they bog it down with their pointlessness. Audiences and readers expect scenes that are arranged with as strict an adherence to the principle of cause and effect as possible. Every scene should follow the previous one and move the story forward.

To fix this problem, you only need to edit out the weak scenes. On On Writing, Stephen King wrote that he has a habit of cutting 10% of his initial draft. In some cases, depending on how much material you have, you may have to cut way more than that.

Factor 3: Uninteresting Characters

It stands to reason that if stories are about characters, then an uninteresting character will create a boring story. What makes a character interesting? A combination of many things, but there are a few non-negotiables. I call them the GNFC components of character.

Goal: What does the character want? It’s very difficult to care about a character who has no desire. Why does he want it? Do we care that he wants it?

Need: What does the character need but isn’t aware of? Is he blind to something? This is usually that thing which he will have to attain or sacrifice to get to the goal.

Flaw: What bad habits does the character have? What’s the bad thing about him? Where is the devil in him? Remember that all characters, like all people, should have a mix of strengths and weaknesses to round them out.

Change: In what way does the character change in relation to the theme or as a result of story events? Is the change positive or negative?

Interesting is rarely about quirkiness, weirdness, or eccentricity. Rather, it’s about empathy. If we can relate to a character, we will be more invested in the character.

One last thing, which is just as important as the others: action. Many times, when the character is uninteresting, it’s because she is not doing anything. Things are happening to her instead of her taking steps and making choices that will determine her path. To fix that, make the character act. Give her a desire and set her off to realize it.

Factor 4: Uninteresting Events

“What is natural and essential to any thing is, in a manner, expected; and what is expected makes less impression, and appears of less moment, than what is unusual and extraordinary.” — David Hume

People consume an incredible amount of stories in their lifetime. This means that both writers and readers are familiar with the same story concepts. To hold interest, you have to subvert expectations every now and then. This relates heavily to familiarity with genre and knowing what the reader will be expecting at any point in time. Breaking genre conventions is a good way to go if you want to twist things in original and interesting ways. If what you’ve done has been done before, why do it again if not in a new way?

In Conclusion

With knowledge of these four factors, it should be far easier to add fire to a boring story. Most times, the key is in focusing your attention on the emotions you want the reader to feel at every moment. If you study life, you realize that it goes up, down, up, down, down, up, down, and so on. A story that stays on one level for too long will inevitably start to feel flat. But if you follow life’s advice when planning your story events and character’s emotions, you’ll be fine. (And for more help troubleshooting an uninteresting story, check out my free checklist.)

When did you last fix a boring story? What did you do to get it right? Share your story and tips in the comments so the writing community can also learn from you.

Gilbert Bassey is a writer and filmmaker who is dedicated to telling great stories and helping other writers do the same. You can follow his writings on medium and subscribe to his storycraft newsletter to get a free copy of the Ultimate Guide To Compelling Antagonism.

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The post 4 Ways to Fix a Boring Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Outside feedback is vital to the success of your manuscript. 

As I’ve quoted many times before on my YouTube channel, according to Terry Pratchett, “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”

Our first drafts are imperfect translations of the perfect story in our minds. This version of the story isn’t ready for the eyes of the reader. But in order to improve the weaknesses in our story, we first need to be able to locate them. That’s where critique partners (CPs) and beta readers come in. 

Before we get into where you can find CPs and beta readers, let’s first talk about what they are.

Critique Partner Vs. Beta Reader

Critique partners are writers who provide feedback on your work, usually by request (to exchange chapters or full manuscripts).

Beta readers are people who read your manuscript as a reader first (rather than a writer). Most of the time, beta readers are not writers.

A good CP will:

• Be kind and professional when providing any kind of feedback
• Be timely in their feedback and maintain agreed-upon deadlines
• Be attentive to the feedback you are looking for (such as big-picture editing vs. grammar)
• Find any faults or shortcomings in your writing (that you may have overlooked), including world-building holes, wonky pacing, pointing out when a character is two-dimensional, and much, MUCH more
• Show you the worst and best of your writing to help you to reach your full potential
• Provide specific recommendations for areas of improvement (without telling the writer how to write their story), and not simply “I don’t like this”
• Encourage you to write the best version of the story you want to write—and not the story they want to see

A good beta reader will do many of these things as well. However, since many beta readers are not writers, their feedback will not be as in-depth. For example, common feedback from beta readers might be something like: “I was bored in this section.” Then it’s up to you, the writer, to determine where your pacing lagged and how you can make that scene or chapter more engaging. (Unless, of course, you meant for the pacing in that chapter to slow down.)  

Finding a Critique Partner or Beta Reader Is a Lot Like Dating

I will be the first to tell you that finding CPs and beta readers, especially when you are first starting out, is exceedingly difficult. It’s a heck of a lot like dating—where you put out feelers to see who would be interested in swapping chapters. If it’s not a good fit, then you amicably part ways and start again. If you find someone who clicks, you have to continue to channel your inner chill and ask if they want to swap manuscripts. (Or whatever process works best for you.)

Personally, I’ve probably worked with an upwards of fifty CPs over the course of the last ten years, and I’ve now found my humans. It’s not going to take everyone nearly as long, but be prepared that the first CPs and beta readers you connect with might not be your tribe. 

Where Do You Find Critique Partners and Beta Readers?

First and foremost, you must put yourself out there. You can’t wait for them to come to you. Below are a few places where there are writing and/or reading communities and you can potentially find CPs and beta readers.

TWITTER 

• If you see an interesting pitch in a Twitter pitch contest, tweet at that person and ask them if they are looking for a CP.
• Follow writing hashtags, such as #amwriting, #writingcommunity, and so on. Start chatting with writers and see if anyone there wants to swap stories. 

INSTAGRAM

• Similar to Twitter, follow the writing hashtags to see who is currently writing a book and might be looking for feedback. Be a friendly, normal human and engage with them in the comments. When it feels natural, ask them if they want to swap stories. 

YOUTUBE

• I’ve said this in my iWriterly videos, and I’ll say it here. There are writing communities on YouTube. Don’t be afraid to jump into comments on my videos (and other writing videos) and ask other writers if they want to exchange chapters with you. AuthorTube is a great place to connect with writers, especially in the comments. But respect the person if they say no. 

FACEBOOK WRITING GROUPS

• There are many writing groups on Facebook, some of which are dedicated exclusively to beta reading. Do some research, ask your fellow writer friends what they have used, and see what happens!

GOODREADS 

• Unlike the other recommendations I’ve offered thus far, Goodreads is a community of readers (vs. writers). This may be where you find more beta readers than CPs. However, definitely check out some of the groups on this platform for beta reading. There are lots of voracious readers!

LOCAL WRITING GROUPS AND SOCIETIES

• Depending on what age category and genre you write in, you might want to check out some local chapters for writing societies, such as SCBWI. 
• If you’re unable or do not want to pay the annual fee to be a part of writing societies, you could also check out places like Meetup, which hosts a number of different groups.  

One thing I recommend to all writers looking to find CPs and beta readers is to post on whatever social media platforms you are most active on, saying you are looking for volunteers to read your book and provide constructive criticism. However, if you have an existing author platform, it’s much easier to call for beta readers and have folks interested in reading your story (than if you have no platform at all). Still, I do think it’s worth trying—in addition to proactively putting yourself out there in the handful of communities and places I’ve recommended above. 

Best of luck finding your writing tribe! 

MEG LATORRE

Meg LaTorre is a writer, YouTuber (iWriterly), creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, co-host of the Publishable show, blogger, and she formerly worked at a literary agency. She also has a background in magazine publishing, medical/technical writing, and journalism. To learn more about Meg, visit her website, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, sign up for her monthly newsletter, and subscribe to her YouTube channel, iWriterly.

The post How to Find Critique Partners & Beta Readers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s official … Audiences have voted with their wallets and proved they WANT more diverse characters as standard. Novels lead the way, with breakout successes like Gone Girl and The Hate You Give making huge cultural impacts.

Now the screenwriting world has undergone a radical overhaul, too. Massive movie franchises like Disney’s, Marvel’s and DC’s through to streamed shows like Russian Doll, Good Girls and Dead to Me have followed suit. And this is just the start!

So, it’s a fact that audiences want a greater variety of characters in books, movies and television that feel both fresh AND authentic. Whether it’s protagonists and antagonists, supporting or peripheral, audiences and readers just don’t want the ‘same-old, same-old’.

Writers too are taking up the challenge. But as writers, we are also told to ‘write what we know’ …  And we can’t KNOW EVERYTHING. *Supersadface*

One of the reasons I wrote my book,  Writing Diverse Characters For Fiction, Film & TV (affiliate link) is because so many writers contacted me worried about this. They would say they’d LOVE to write more diverse stories and characters BUT …

… They ‘don’t know where to start’ and
… They’re ‘afraid of getting it wrong’

So now what?

Well, start here with this handy flow chart … And to avoid ‘getting it wrong’, pay close attentions to what it asks of you as a writer. LET’S GO!

Step One:

EMOTIONAL TRUTH

Emotional truth is the first stop on the flow chart. Authenticity is the antidote to samey tropes and stereotypes. True fact! Start with these questions, below.

1) Why this story?

This part asks the writer to consider WHY they feel the need to tell this particular story. It helps us connect with our own motivations and identify that element that really connects us to both the story and our target audience.

However, sometimes we have to face we are not the best writers for the job. For example, maybe it’s time now for disabled people to tell THEIR stories from their POVs, instead of able-bodied people doing it for them?

2) Why this character?

Note the character spotlight on the flow chart. Connection is key to a diverse character feeling authentic.

• Is this character like me? Why/why not?
• How can I make this character’s struggle or motivation meaningful to the most people possible in my target audience?
• Can I bring authenticity to this character? How can I access his/her world?
• What research do I need to do? What do I already know?

TOP TIP: Writers fall into the ‘same-old, same-old’ when they don’t SCRUTINISE their ideas and assumptions at foundation level. If you do the above however, you can find a fresh take.

Step Two:

WRITING CRAFT

STORY OVERVIEW

Next on the flow chart: check your initial logline/idea, with the following questions in mind.

 3) What is LIKE this story?

• What has gone before in this genre, style, tone in various mediums?
• How is yours the same … but DIFFERENT? What is your twist, or unique selling point?
• Who is your target audience? (It’s not ‘for everyone’!).
• How do you know they will like YOUR story, or at least are likely to pay $$ to watch it?
• What does your target audience want? What research do you need to do on this?

4) What type of diverse story do you want to write?

• Diversity as catalyst.  The most common type of diverse story. The main characters’ diversity serve as the REASON for the story occurs (ie. had they not had some kind of ‘difference’, they would not be part of the story). Examples: GET OUT, MAD MAX FURY ROAD, THE HANDMAID’S TALE.
• Diversity as backstory. In this story world, diversity is the standard. The lead characters and their secondaries are not the REASON for the story. Instead, characters live in a diverse world where their individual heritage may or may not be important eg. PITCH PERFECT, OCEAN’S 8, EMPIRE, THE 100 , GRAVITY, BROOKLYN 99 etc).

CHARACTER

Back to characterisation on the flow chart, with the following questions in mind:

 5) What is LIKE this character?

• Who is your protagonist? What does s/he want? Why?
• Who is your antagonist? Why does s/he get in your protagonist’s way?
• Who are your secondary characters? Are they ‘Team Protag’ or ‘Team Antag’ – Do they help or hinder your main characters? Why?
• Are your characters archetypal? Cross-reference with your story notes. Are your characters a fresh twist on those ‘usual’ archetypes we see in their story’s genre/type, or rehashes of what we have seen before?
• Where does your protagonist live? What is the status quo in his/her storyworld? Is this a world where diversity is typical … or untypical? Why?

6) Type of Protagonist You Are Writing

Next up on the flow chart … Protagonists are most often the character driving the story, making them vital to the success of your story.

• Protagonist as The Educated – the most common. This type leads to the protagonist changing his or her viewpoints via her actions in the narrative, thanks to the actions and teachings of other characters (usually secondaries, but also the antagonist. B2W calls this ‘The Transformative Arc’). ‘The Hero’s Journey’ is a classic example of the transformative arc, so most superheroes follow this route.
• Protagonist as The Educator – There are many ways to do this, but here are 3 of the most common ways to write a protagonist who does not undergo a transformative arc … (affiliate link)

1. ‘The Change Agent’ is when a protagonist does not change him or herself, but may inspire other characters to change, such as the antagonist or secondary characters, ie. Forrest Gump, Mary Poppins. MORE HERE.
2. The Voyager. This is a character who is already capable and doesn’t need to change so much, as solve a significant problem presented with skills and attributes they already possess, ie. John McClane, Ellen Ripley, Furiosa, John Wick. Secondary characters may have to decide to ‘fall in’ with the protagonist and see the mission his/her way … They must help the protagonist, or they are the enemy. You could say The Voyager’s motto is ‘join me or die’. MORE HERE.
3. The Passive Protagonist. A passive protagonist will resist all efforts to make him or her do ANYTHING … which is why a secondary character or antagonist MUST ‘take the reins’ FOR the passive protagonist and drive the story forwards. Usually, a passive protagonist will take some kind of last-minute action in the final moments of the story *for some reason*, often under sufferance (especially comedy), ie. THE BIG LEBOWSKI.

Step Three

7) Write A New Logline / short pitch for your book or screenplay

Now return to your notes/ original logline / outline and use what you have broken down here to INFORM your story in a NEW logline … with your diverse character at the heart of it!

Try the 3 Cs – clarity, character, conflict. The model reminds us a good logline makes it obvious what is at stake for a character by using clear language, such as active verbs and focusing on WHO does WHAT. This prevents us from describing ‘around’ the story and/or falling back on cliched language.

Another good model for loglines to use in conjunction with the above:

When (inciting incident occurs), a (specific  protagonist) must (objective) or (this happens –> stakes).

Download your free cheat sheet on How To Write A Logline.

Good Luck with your writing!

LUCY V. HAY - Resident Writing Coach

Lucy V. Hay is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. She’s been the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts & has also been a script reader for 20 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. She’s also an author, publishing as both LV Hay and Lizzie Fry.  Lizzie’s latest, a serial killer thriller titled The Good Mother is out now with Joffe Books, with her sixth thriller out in 2024. Lucy’s site at www.bang2write.com has appeared in Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life, as well as a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK (ninth in the world.). She is also the author of the bestselling non-fiction book, Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays: From TV Pilot To Feature Film (Creative Essentials), which she updated for the streaming age for its tenth anniversary in 2023.

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Writing a novel is flipping difficult. It often takes years to complete your first novel (and even more years after that to write a good one). You heard that right — writers’ first books are usually a hot mess. That is because, as untested authors, we don’t yet know how to write a book. 

On average, most writers pursuing traditional publication write four novels prior to getting a literary agent. In other words, it takes most writers writing a few books to get the hang of things. 

If you are reading this, you are likely curious about how you can shorten your learning curve and write a better book more quickly. Let’s talk about the eleven ways you can improve your novel-writing skills today. 

1. Acknowledge That You Don’t Know Everything and Your Writing Isn’t Perfect

One surefire sign of a newbie writer is thinking your writing is perfection. Nothing anyone can say is applicable because if they have a critique, it means they don’t understand your story. (And not that your story needs improving — certainly not that!) 

I was there, friends. Once upon a time, I thought my books were the next NY Times bestsellers and ready for publication — often after completing the first draft. 

As I’ve said many times before on my YouTube channel, iWriterly: first drafts are not final drafts. According to Terry Pratchet: “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”

Therefore, be open-minded to the fact that while you might have a lot of great elements within your story, you have many drafts ahead of you to polish your story and get it ready for the eyes of readers. 

2. Research How to Write a Good Book

As newbie writers, we can’t hope to figure out how to write a book on our own. Or, at least, most of us can’t. Therefore, you will want to do some research to learn about how to write a good book. (HINT: It’s about more than just grammar!) For example, some topics you might want to research include:

• Plot structure
• Character arcs
• How to give a character a unique voice
• Pacing 

Here are a few resources you could check out: 

• Nonfiction books about how to write a novel
• Free articles and blogs
• YouTube: iWriterly, for example, is in a niche called AuthorTube where aspiring and published authors talk about how to write books
• Online courses (Writers Helping Writers has a list of recommendations in the Online Learning Centers section of their Resources for Writers page)
• Formal education at a college or university 
• Fiction books by the greats in your genre

Keep in mind that many of these options are free. You don’t have to immediately pull out your wallet. However, if you are going to pay for a product or service, always research whether or not the person teaching the course has applicable experience and is an expert in their field. 

3. Consider Outlining Your Book before You Write It 

(One Stop for Writers Story Maps)

If you haven’t yet heard of plotters and pantsers (or architects and gardeners), allow me to enlighten you. A plotter (also called an “architect”) is a writer who plans out their story prior to writing it. A pantser (someone who “flies by the seat of their pants” — also called a “gardener”) is someone who doesn’t plan prior to writing. They write and see where their muse takes them.

There is no right or wrong way to go about writing. However, a pantser has a lot more work to do in the editing phase because they didn’t plan out anything in advance, such as big plot beats. Therefore, consider checking out things like beat sheets or different types of plot structure prior to writing your book. (Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and Jami Gold’s blog have a lot of beat sheets writers use.) You don’t need to plan out your novel in advance, but it might be worth jotting down the big plot points you want to reach at certain places in your story. 

4. Work with Critique Partners and Beta Readers 

Critique partners and beta readers provide feedback on unpublished manuscripts. However, their roles are slightly different.

• Critique partners are writers who provide feedback on your work, usually by request (to exchange chapters or full manuscripts).
• Beta readers are people who read your manuscript as a reader first (rather than a writer). Most of the time, beta readers are not writers.

Without outside feedback, we can’t improve the stories. This is due to a writer’s blindness to our own story’s flaws from being too close to it. We can see it so perfectly in our heads, but it doesn’t necessarily translate well onto the page. It’s the job of a good critique partner and/or beta reader to read a story and provide feedback and suggestions for areas of improvement — thereby helping us make the best story possible. 

For more information on finding critique partners or beta readers, check out Critique Circle or look for local groups via the blogs for different genres, such as SCBWI or RWA.

5. Be Open to Critiques/Feedback on Your Work

It’s not just about getting feedback from critique partners and beta readers. If you are not open to making changes to your story, then getting feedback is a pointless exercise. Do your best to look at your story objectively and listen to what critique partners and beta readers are saying. 

6. Look Closely at Your Weakest Points

Did your critique partners and beta readers seem to have a consensus about what aspects of your writing could be improved? Those are most likely your “weak spots” as a writer.

For me, I’ve always struggled with info-dumps. Most recently, I’ve struggled with too much internalization (vs. dramatization). Simply knowing where you aren’t strong as a writer is helpful so you can teach yourself to spot the issues — perhaps even before you make them. 

Listen to what the consensus is for feedback. There is always the outlier — one critique partner or beta reader who has a completely different take on your story — but if there is a consensus, pay close attention to it. It more than likely is an issue you will want to address.

7. Edit the Book on Your Own MANY Times

As I mentioned earlier, the first draft isn’t the final draft. Most authors edit their books dozens of times before it gets to the version you see on the bookshelf. Personally, I edit my manuscript two to five times (front to back) by myself before sharing it with critique partners. After that, I work with critique partners and beta readers through many drafts (and self-edit in between).

Consider working with more critique partners and beta readers after you have edited your book and implemented the previous round of feedback. Ideally, you will want to work with them on several drafts of the book. The exact number of times beta readers and critique partners read the manuscript is going to be up to you and them. 

8. Brush up On Grammar

While good grammar doesn’t make a good story, bad grammar can pull readers out of one. As such, you will want to be able to write with proper punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, and so on. 

9. Read Books by the Greats within Your Genre

Dissect the books you love. Try to determine what it is you enjoyed about them and what that author excels at. In addition, think about ways you can emulate (or perhaps imitate) some of those skills in your own writing (without plagiarizing!!). 

10. Write Often to Sharpen Your Skills

According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes 10,000 hours (or approximately 10 years) of practice to become an expert. While you don’t necessarily need to be writing books for 10 years before you are deemed “ready,” you do need to put in the time to practice your writing skills in order to become a better writer. 

11. Write the Next Book 

Going along with our previous point, the best way to be a better author is to write many books. That is because the more books you write, the better you will get at it. 

From my experience, writing a book isn’t something you can teach. Sure, you can learn the principles of writing a good book or learn how other authors write theirs. But you must learn how you as an author operate through the process. How you do it is going to be different from other people’s process. Therefore, the only way to glean that knowledge is through experience. 

Happy writing, friends!

MEG LATORRE

Meg LaTorre is a writer, YouTuber (iWriterly), creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, co-host of the Publishable show, blogger, and she formerly worked at a literary agency. She also has a background in magazine publishing, medical/technical writing, and journalism. To learn more about Meg, visit her website, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, sign up for her monthly newsletter, and subscribe to her YouTube channel, iWriterly.

The post Improve Your Novel Writing: 11 Tips For Newbies appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.